


Blood Sins - A #FlynnFriday Imagines Series

by DoctorLia, DraejonSoul, RedGold, UnUnpredictableMe (DraejonSoul)



Series: #Flynn Friday Imagines [8]
Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Bloodplay, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Garcy.... maybe?, Gen, Multi, Polyamory, Smut, Unintentional Bloodplay, mild bloodplay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:13:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 57,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23913625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorLia/pseuds/DoctorLia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraejonSoul/pseuds/DraejonSoul, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedGold/pseuds/RedGold, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraejonSoul/pseuds/UnUnpredictableMe
Summary: Lucy Preston is tasked with researching an old manor for any historical significance. The more she learns about the house, the more intrigued she becomes of its new owners... or were they around when it was first built?CHAPTER 6:Family MattersIn order to stay under the radar and away from Rittenhouse, the Flynn's take their human companions to a secluded manor in the English country side. There, Lucy and Rufus are introduced to Stiv.
Relationships: Garcia Flynn & Lucy Preston, Garcia Flynn/Lorena Flynn, Garcia Flynn/Lorena Flynn/Lucy Preston, Garcia Flynn/Lucy Preston, Rufus Carlin & Jiya, Rufus Carlin/Jiya
Series: #Flynn Friday Imagines [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647451
Comments: 47
Kudos: 24





	1. Provenance

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based from [this #FlynnFriday imagine](https://twitter.com/thalia_msr/status/1240900836999520259). We thought it deserved its own story in the series since we have some plans for it. ^^
> 
> We don't know who made this lovely manip of amber-eyed Goran. So do contact me if anyone knows who did this, so we can provide credit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you hover over the Croatian words, you'll see its translation! I knew HTML was good for something... ^^

She pulled back on the old knocker, and knocked thrice. She clutched her messenger bag before her, in the vain hope it would help ward off whatever creature that could jump out from somewhere. Sometimes, she hated being a researcher, knowing the things she read about this sleepy village of Kringa.

She took a deep cleansing breath. She can do this. Whatever her faults, Lucy was nothing but determined.

A heavy clank from the other side of the door sounded, making her jump. Some clicks later, the heavy door creaked open.

Her eyes landed on a torso covered in an expensive-looking dark suit. So she cast her eyes up.

And up.

Until they found the most mesmerizing iridescent (green? blue?) eyes she's ever seen, surrounded by long lashes. They're too... pretty—for lack of a better word, something Lucy was supposed to be good at!—to be real.

Her eyes roved to the rest of the man's face. A high, patrician nose, chiseled jaws and cheekbones, hints of dimples even though his face looked relaxed...

"You must be Professor Lucy Preston." There was a pleasant lilt to his low, silky tone...

She mentally shook herself. Professional, but friendly. Right. She could do this.

"Hello," she said and did her voice just squeak? She cleared her throat. "Yes. I am Professor Preston, from the University. Are you Garcia Flynn?"

"I am." He smiled and it was mesmerizing. "Do come in."

Apparently this man had provided a large endowment to the university and in return, the university sent her to do some research on the manor that he just bought. It still had a lot of the original fixtures, books, etc.

Garcia Flynn told them he wanted to donate anything that might be of historical value. And Lucy… oh, shit, this place was beyond beautiful.

She slowly spun in place. Taking it all in. Every design and pattern etched into the walls, floor, and even the staircase seemed to pull her into a different time period. She had a fleeting thought of buying the gorgeous man out of this place. But quickly dismissed it as that was something her mother would have her do.

"I take it from the excited spin, that you like what you see?" Mr. Flynn said softly, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Lucy blushed, but her smile split her face, "It's beautiful. Magnificent even. Do you live here alone?"

Flynn's smile grew and he gave a laugh at the childlike glee that came over the woman before him. "With my wife, actually. And our… niece."

Lucy's smile faltered at the word wife. _'Of course he's married,'_ she thought, _'A man like that? Someone would have definitely snatched him up a long time ago.'_

Flynn tilted his head slightly, pinning Lucy with a gaze that seemed to penetrate straight into her soul, making her feel warm all over.

"She would be thrilled to meet you," he said after a moment, his lips turning up slightly.

"Sh-she is?" she stammered, only just remembering her manners to reply.

"Of course. So, I must insist that you join us for lunch," he declared in a tone that brooked no argument, softened only by his gentle smile.

How could she say no to that now?

"I'd love to join you," she said and Mr. Flynn slightly smirked. She found it disconcerting, but in a good way.

"Excellent." He then smiled, then turned his attention to the hallway. "Ah, here is my niece now."

Lucy saw no one, heard nothing, but then a young woman with long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail came into view, walking into the entry hall.

"Professor Preston, may I introduce my niece, Jiya."

"Pleased to meet you." Lucy smiled and greeted the woman.

"Sup', doc," Jiya said cheerfully that Lucy didn't even bother to correct that she was a professor, not a doctor. Well, she did have three doctorates but she considered herself a professor.

"Jiya will assist you in setting up your laptop." Mr. Flynn gestured to the laptop bag Lucy was carrying.

"Flynn is old school," Jiya explained. "Real old school."

He gave her a perturbed look and she simply grinned, winking back playfully. Apparently this was an old joke between them.

Jiya turned to Lucy. "Come on, got a study all set up for you."

"Lunch will be served at exactly noon," Flynn added.

"Thank you," Lucy said, "um, let's get to work."

Jiya had led Lucy up the stairs and down a well lit hallway. Old paintings and photographs lined the walls. All of them in excellent condition. Statues and busts were placed at the beginning and ends of the hall. Lucy took it all in, not being able to imagine what the study might look like.

There were a couple of black and white photographs of the current owner, Flynn and a young girl. Both dressed in old period clothes. Most likely novelty photos.

"Is this you?" Lucy asked admiring one particular picture. Flynn held the girl in his hands with a smile.

Jiya glanced at the photo in question and smiled. "That's Josephine Marcus. A… family friend's daughter." She then turned to continue on her path to the study.

Something licked at the back of Lucy's brain. She was certain she knew that name. But she couldn't place it.

There were so many things to look at, she wanted to stop and examine each and every one. Good thing that was what she was there to do.

"Here we go," Jiya gestured for Lucy to enter one of the rooms.

When she got inside, it was like a warm hug. Shelves and rows of books lined the walls. And old, worn oak desk was intricately carved. Beautiful sculptures and busts sat dotted around.

"Doc?" Jiya waved a hand in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry, just," Lucy was at a loss. "It's perfect. Are you sure your uncle wants to give it all away to the university?"

"Yeah." Jiya nodded and then gestured for Lucy to put her laptop down on the desk. "The, ah, previous owners, gathered a lot of history. Flynn thinks it's time that it went back into the world, it does no good sitting here, catching dust."

Lucy was going to say something, but her eyes landed on a pair of turn of the century handcuffs sitting on the bookcase ledge.

"Oh, those were a gift," Jiya explained. "They were used by Harry Houdini during a show."

"Oh?" Lucy's eyes lit up. "Do you know which one?"

"Nah, Flynn would," Jiya shrugged. "All I know is that Houdini apparently gives good hugs."

That made Lucy blink. She was going to question the statement but Jiya had her laptop set up already for her.

"There you go, doc."

"Thank you," she said. Lucy's first order of business was to see just how much stuff there was to research and estimate how much time it would take.

If the study was any indication... she might be here awhile.

Two hours later found her elbow deep in books and busts. She was currently trying to figure out the exact date of a vase that was hidden behind the desk she sat at. Ancient Greece, possibly. But it was in perfect condition. So, probably not.

"I'm tell you Rufus, this place is like a museum all by itself. I'm tempted to buy the entire manor and not just the items it contains." Lucy said excitedly. She was Skyping with her good friend, Rufus Carlin.

"I'd hate to say you sound like your mother, _but_...that's the Rittenhouse in you talking." He joked, but he had a slightly concerned look. Lucy had been doing this job for a long time and each time she ended up saying things eerily similar to her mother. Rufus was convinced she needed a job that didn't once belong to her mother.

"What's that face?" Lucy suddenly asked.

Rufus sighed. "You need a hobby, Lucy. Or a new job." He put his hand up to stop her from interrupting, "I don't say that to argue with you. I'm just worried about you. You wanted to be a history professor."

Lucy rolled her eyes with a smile, "I'm still studying history. Plus I get to travel. I'm living my best life."

Rufus gave her a sorrowful look, "Lucy, you haven't been home since-"

"You should come here. You'd love it! I'm sure Connor would be happy to give you the time off." Lucy forced a bright smile on her face. She didn't want to talk about… that.

"And what would I do there?" he asked.

Lucy looked around at all the books and little things in this room alone. She had already peeked into a few others and found something similar. Jiya hinted at an actual library downstairs. The only reason Lucy hadn't gone looking is she knew she'd get lost in it and would then miss lunch, which would be rude.

"I could really use some help," she said, hinting that help should be him.

"And how would I help?" Rufus looked blankly at her. "My sparkling personality?"

"Exactly!" Lucy laughed. "I could use my friend to keep me sane. There is a lot of work."

Rufus stared at her, but eventually he sighed. "I'll talk to Connor, but I make no promises!"

"Thank you, Rufus!" Lucy smiled. "I owe you a hug!"

"And a box of chocodiles!"

"I... don't know if they sell those here."

"Oh, we gonna find out."

There was a knock on the door and Jiya poked her head in.

"It's almost time for lunch," she said.

"Who's that?" Rufus asked.

"The owner's niece. I need to go." She got ready to close the call. "Let me know what Connor says."

"Will do."

Lucy ended the call, ready for lunch.

Lucy followed Jiya back to the foyer. They then made their way down the right hand hallway where there was a beautifully decorated dining room. Large windows, heavy curtains, fancy furniture. A lovely polished dark wood dining table.

"Wow." Lucy breathed, taking it all in. It would take her months to examine everything in the manor. She decided to give her mother a ring later. Maybe buying it wasn't such a bad idea? The entire manor seemed to allude to different time periods and it was fascinating.

remember when I moved in. It was breathtaking. Still is. After all this time."

Lucy seemed confused by that, "I thought Mr. Flynn had bought the manor a year ago?"

Jiya nodded slowly, "Sure. This manor has been here for centuries. Everyone in town has visited at least once. It was abandoned for a while, but Flynn made sure he was the one to snatch it up when we moved back here."

Lucy accepted that answer. "Why do you call him Flynn? If you don't mind me asking? He is your uncle, no?"

Jiya's smile widened, "Calling him Garcia is a little weird. So I call him Flynn. He doesn't mind."

Lucy was going to ask more questions, she had plenty. When the door at the end of the dining room opened and in walked what Lucy could only describe as a goddess.

"Doctor Preston, may I introduce the lady of the house, Lorena Flynn."

Lucy's eyes flitted between Garcia and Lorena. He was tall, dark, and gorgeous. She was tall, sleek, and glamorous.

It just wasn't fair. Lucy was gonna spend months cataloging everything in this manor. Being around two people who were unavailable.

"Nice to meet you," Lorena said, smiling. She then glanced over at Garcia as if to say 'you were right.' But about what?

"Hello," Lucy eventually said when Jiya gave her a little nudge.

"How are you finding things so far?" Lorena asked her.

That got Lucy's mind back on track. "There are so many lovely items here, but, some of it seems, ah, too good to be true."

Garcia frowned, "How so?"

"A lot of it is in very good condition," Lucy figured she should just get this over with. "I fear some of it may be fake."

"I see," Garcia continued to frown. "I can assure you, nothing here is fake."

"I'm the expert," Lucy stared up at him defiantly.

After a moment, he backed down, nodding to her.

"Lunch is ready," Lorena reminded them.

After a few minutes Jiya had engaged Lucy in a conversation about the items she _did_ date and concluded to be authentic. Flynn and Lorena added a comment here and there, but otherwise focused on eating.

Lucy felt eyes on her, but every time she turned, neither Flynn or Lorena were looking her way. They seemed focused on each other or their plates.

"So doc, what got you into this line of work?" Jiya asked.

"My mother actually. She wanted me to take over for her once she retired, but the company we work for was bought out by my uncle, Nicholas. He gave my mother a higher position. So up the ranks I went."

"A family business then?" Lorena asked with a smile.

Lucy found herself blushing in return, "It was a family business before. My uncle just wanted to be in charge. Changed the name and everything."

"What was it before the change?" Jiya questioned.

Lucy hesitated a moment. Her old family name had a lot of corruption and bad blood associated with it. Keynes and Preston was a way to have a clean slate. But she didn't want to lie. "Rittenhouse."

There was a clatter of silverware. "Rittenhouse?"

"Yes," Lucy said, swallowing hard. "I take it you've heard of them."

Flynn tried and failed to hide a grimace. "I've had... run-ins with them... in the past."

Lorena put a comforting hand on his shoulder but she didn't look well all of a sudden.

"Do you want me to leave?"

Lucy didn't want to, there was so much history in this place. And she also did not want anything to do with most of her Rittenhouse family. But she knew things they had done, and if Flynn did, too... she couldn't blame him, only be disappointed.

"The university said you were the best." Flynn spoke the words as if that answered that.

"I am," Lucy said firmly. "And I consider myself a Preston, not a Rittenhouse."

He looked as if something clicked, a puzzle piece falling into place. Then he gave her an unfortunate smile. "That is good to hear."

Flynn glanced at Lorena before returning his attention to Lucy. "I don't need to keep an eye on you, do I?" Flynn's eyes pinned Lucy to her seat. His smile dropped slowly, awaiting an answer.

Lucy couldn't tell if she was aroused or scared. His gaze had her almost squirming in her seat. "Of course not, Mr. Flynn. I'm only here to do my job, no matter how long it takes, and then leave. Although I _can_ leave if you feel uncomfortable having me here."

Flynn looked towards Jiya, who gave him a look back. He raised a brow at her. They seemed to have a whole conversation. Lucy glanced between the two, wondering what was being conveyed.

"No. I believe you. Besides, we know where you're staying if anything happens." He flashed her a smile. It looked predatory.

"Right." Lucy said. She looked down at her plate. It was empty. "I can spend another hour or so cataloging. Unless you rather I leave it for tomorrow?"

Flynn looked at Lorena, wanting her to decide. She gave it some thought before giving a tiny shrug. "I see no harm in allowing you another hour. How long do you think it would take? Verify everything?"

Lucy looked around the dining room, knowing she'd have to go through everything in here after she was done with the study. Not to mention the hallways and foyer. "Months, possibly. Depending on how long you allow me to work."

"That can be arranged." Lorena concluded.

She turned to her husband, and another silent conversation went on that Lucy was not privy to.

"Then you wouldn't mind staying in one of the rooms, then?" Garcia suggested.

Lucy gasped softly, thrilled to be surrounded by so much history but... "I can't impose..."

Lorena waved her off. "Nonsense! There's plenty of room here! It will save you the effort of having to travel back and forth."

"But..."

"I have long ago learned not to contradict my wife," Garcia advised with a smirk, his hand coming to cover Lorena's. "Her suggestion has merit. And she can be very relentless once her mind is made up."

Lucy opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. To be surrounded every day by history _and_ these beautiful, intriguing people?

"H-how... can I say no?" she managed to say.

The Flynns gave her winning smiles. 

"Excellent!"

Lucy went back to the study after lunch. As soon as she was out of earshot, Flynn said, "I could use a drink."

He went to the kitchen, Lorena and Jiya following.

"So, Rittenhouse," Jiya said. "Those were the ones who, um..."

"Murdered me?" Lorena said dryly.

Flynn grabbed a wine bottle of pig's blood from the locked wine cooler. He poured himself and Lorena a drink.

"I was an immigrant, trying to make my fortune in this new land," Flynn said after taking a drink. "Rittenhouse tried to kill me because I stumbled upon some illegal business they had. I would have died if I hadn't been turned by Stiv. I was a new vampire, reckless and self-destructive. I killed their leader... and they've haunted me ever since."

Jiya went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. "And they found you in 1923?"

"Yes," Lorena continued, placing a comforting hand on Garcia's shoulder. "They attacked in the night. Our daughter survived thanks to her mixed blood. But I was still human."

"If I didn't turn you..." he said as if he felt guilty for it still, after all this time.

"You did the right thing," she assured him for the millionth time. "I got to see Iris grow up." And thanks to her father's vampire genes, she aged slowly. Lorena made a note to call her and check up.

"And what about Lucy?" Jiya asked.

Flynn was thoughtful, "I don't believe she is an enemy, but we should keep her close all the same."

Jiya gave a relieved sigh, "Good. I thought I'd have to invent something to convince you to allow her to stay."

Flynn and Lorena exchanged a look. "What?" Flynn then lowered his voice, "Did you have a vision?"

Jiya rolled her eyes, "When don't I? But this was less of a vision and more of a feeling, I suppose. I saw her face. I heard her name. You know how these visions go, but I _felt_ like I could trust her. That she was… different, somehow."

Flynn sipped at his glass thinking over her words. "Hm. You should have told us."

"It was just a feeling, Flynn. I didn't even know she was Rittenhouse."

Lorena put her arm around the young woman. "Doesn't matter now. What's done is done. If she's a threat we will deal with it accordingly. Until then, we wait."

"You can always use your mumbo-jumbo on her." Jiya suggested with a shrug.

Flynn rolled his eyes at their ward. "Do you remember the _last_ time you suggested that?"

Jiya grimaced at the memory. "That was poor judgment on my part."

Flynn's eyes flashed in anger, "Poor judgment? We were run out of town because of you. We had to leave poor Karl behind."

"Karl is Karl," Jiya wasn't fussed. "He made it out perfectly fine. Even started his own indie rock band."

"Not the point." Flynn sighed, pinching his brow. He was going to say something but then heard the light footsteps of Lucy walking towards the kitchen.

"What? Jiya said.

Lucy appeared through the wide doors, almost peeking in like she was afraid to interrupt.

"Sorry, can I talk to you for a moment?" Lucy asked.

"Yes?" Flynn said, handing his wine glass off to Lorena so she could subtly avoid Lucy seeing that it wasn't Merlot.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I asked someone to join me here," Lucy began. "If I have help, I can get through this faster."

It was a reasonable request, but Flynn's paranoia kicked up. What if this was a set up? But then he looked at Lucy and something deep in him told him he could trust this Lucy Preston with his life.

"I don't mind at all," Flynn said with a smile. "We'll have another room set up for them."

"Thank you," she smiled and he hated that it made his non-existent heartbeat flutter.

This was going to be a long few months.

Rufus took a lot of things in stride.

Testing jetpacks at work? Sure, super cool. Inventing new math? Practically part of the job description. His best friend inviting him to some remote location in Europe to help? Kinda how horror movies started, but the friend code was clear. 

Staying in an elaborate mansion where the nearest shower was across the hall, in a room too small and poorly ventilated for him to pull tight jeans over damp skin, so that he had to scurry back to his room in a towel? Not ideal. But at least no one had seen—

“Oh!”

His face flushed hot and his hand tightened on his towel when he saw Jiya standing in front of his door. Her eyes were wide. And she—oh God—looked him up and down.

He almost spontaneously combusted on the spot. But he tried to play it cool. “Uh, good morning.”

“Hey.” She gave him a small smile that went straight to his... heart. “Sorry I startled you.”

“Sorry I’m, you know, running around your house half naked.”

Her eyebrows went up. He glanced down. Was there maybe a secret trapdoor, so he could just sink through the floor?

Her smirk intensified. “I was actually coming to see if you were up, and if you wanted breakfast.”

“Oh!” He’d only been here a week, and he already... yeah. Jiya was _so_ smart, and she didn’t take anyone’s shit, and she was gorgeous. He maybe had a crush. Just a little one.

“Yeah, that would be great.” He’d spent a lot of time refining the cataloging software he was building for Lucy, with Mason’s approval, and he hadn’t had much chance to get to know Jiya. But he really wanted to.

“You’re, uh, that’s my door,” he explained, when she didn’t move.

“And, I’m...” He glanced down at himself.

Her dimples showed, but she stepped aside. But not far. To reach his door, he had to pass her closely enough to smell her... soap? 

“See you downstairs,” she murmured, in that warm, low voice of hers. He swallowed and nodded.

With the door safely shut behind him, he leaned against it and took a deep breath. Weird how every time she got close to him, his brain and his insides both seemed to turn to goo...

Whistling off-key, he got dressed. He had a breakfast date. And a crush. But just a small one.

Meanwhile, Lucy was at the main library, perusing the titles and occasionally grabbing one from the shelf.

"See anything you like?"

She gasped loudly, clutching the metal stairs for support. She turned her head to see Garcia Flynn lounging on the large armchair, book in hand.

"How long have you been there?" Lucy asked, a hand on her chest.

He raised his eyes to her. "Long enough to be halfway through a chapter."

Not a real answer, but okay. "A lot of these are first or second edition! How did you get all these?" she enthused.

"The original owner of the manor collected them," he replied.

She shook her head in wonder. "They must have been well-traveled to even have gotten these. I mean, Tolkien? The Great Gatsby? I'm surprised to find English books here, much less in their first editions, in this part of the country."

"He was very well-traveled," Garcia smiled at her and she could stare at it all day. "And he had a wife who shared his passion for exploring the world."

"How lucky for them both," Lucy sighed.

"Do you like to travel?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, yes." It was her turn to smile.

"I love history, and knowledge," she continued, wistfully, "and I see it wherever I go."

Garcia smiled at her, more broadly this time, and dammit, why did he have to be taken already?

"I, ah, should let you get back to work," he said when he saw she was suddenly uncomfortable, and Lucy hoped he had read it as annoyance in that she was trying to work and he was bothering her... and not her true frustrations.

"Thank you," she said, turning back to the bookcase. But she had always been a klutz. Lucy's foot slipped and she fell sideways, failing to grab the ladder. She was sure she was going to bust her skull open on the marble floor.

Then suddenly she stopped, caught in midair by Garcia.

"You alright?" he said as he held her bridal style.

If Lucy had thought it through, she would have questioned how he got to her so quickly. But all Lucy could think about was just lovely his eyes were up close and he smelt as good as he looked.

"Ah..." she stumbled. 

"Are you alright?" Flynn asked, his husky voice tickling her ear and sending sparks down her spine. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Before she could rub two words together to respond, she was swept to the long couch and was laid on it gently.

"Tell me where it hurts," he repeated.

It was in the lower parts of her belly, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"N-nowhere," she said instead. "I'm fine."

She stiffened as she felt his cool touch on her ankle. He noticed, so he withdrew his questing fingers.

"F-forgive me." He stuttered as he straightened. He folded his hands behind his back.

Lucy immediately missed the contact, but pushed that thought away. _'He's married,'_ she scolded herself. "No, it's...it's fine. Your hands are cold."

He chuckled at the comment and it made her heart beat faster. He gave her a curious look. They just stare at each other for a moment.

He seemed to be focusing on something, but Lucy wasn't sure what it was. She, on the other hand, was trying to memorize his entire face. He was beautiful.

She watched as his eyes suddenly dilated. She could barely see the green of his irises.

He quickly looked away and took a deep breath. He turned and headed towards the library entrance. He stopped just before he stepped through, "I'd avoid ladders, if I were you." His voice was strange, almost as if he was choosing his words carefully. "I may not be around to catch you next time, Professor Preston." With that, he was gone.

A few minutes later, Rufus found her in the exact same spot. She was replaying the entire interaction in her mind, not understanding what happened.

Rufus took one look at her and suggested they get out of the manor for lunch. He claimed that she clearly needed a break and that wanted to explore the small town.

"I suggest the bakery a couple blocks down. Jiya's always raving about it." Lorena offered just before they left. She flashed Lucy a bright smile and Lucy's heart picked up again.

Lucy smiled back. "Thank you. We will." And with that, she dragged Rufus out of the manor as quickly as she could.

Lorena watched from a window as Lucy and Rufus climbed into their rental.

Garcia walked into the room.

"You look flustered," she commented.

"It's that Professor," he replied as he grabbed a glass and a decanter of bourbon. "She fell off the ladder, nearly died."

"Nearly." Lorena smirked. "You like her."

Garcia's shoulders slumped. "She's... she's smart, beautiful, and passionate."

"She is that," Lorena agreed appreciatively.

"She is also Rittenhouse." He turned, downing the alcohol. Then he looked through the glass and clearly he wanted something a little more... red.

"Lucy doesn't act like a Rittenhouse," Lorena pointed out.

"No, no she doesn't..."

"We can have Karl look into her, if you're really worried about her." Lorena suggested with a knowing smirk.

Flynn looked up from his glass. "You know I love you, right? And that I would never do anything with another woman, yes? You are my wife."

Lorena rolled her eyes. "Garcia, we have shared men and women before. I don't see why this one would be any different."

Flynn slowly smiled at her, pulling her close to him. "You like her as well?"

"There is something about her. We seem to be drawn to her for a reason." Lorena wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Make the call to Karl. We may want to have our way with her, but I want to ensure our safety. We've only just arrived here. I'd hate to leave again."

Lorena gave him a deep kiss. "Should we investigate Mr. Carlin? Jiya has formed an attraction to him."

"I've noticed."

Lorena went to close the door, and locked it. "We can have Karl look into it as well. In the meantime," she pushed Garcia until he was forced to sit on the divan, then sat herself on his knees, "it looks like someone needs to get out of their head." She smiled suggestively.

Garcia emitted an inhuman growl in his throat as his eyes flashed amber before attacking Lorena's lips with his.

"I have a crush." Rufus stated as soon as they finished their lunch.

Lucy just blinked at him for several seconds, coffee cup half way to her lips. "On the coffee?"

"On Jiya...I think."

Lucy raised a brow and smirked at him. "Is that so? And to think, you almost didn't come." She gave him a smug look, which he scoffed at.

"You told Connor to reroute the plane, no matter where I decided to go." He rolled his eyes at her before he gave a smug look in return, "And don't look so smug, I know you've got a thing for Lorena. I've seen the way you look at her."

Lucy's smile drops and she blushes at the accusation. "She's a married woman."

"Homewrecker."

"Whore."

"Slut."

"Bitch."

Rufus gasped, "Clutch my pearls! I have never heard such language from a lady!"

It was quiet a moment before they both dissolved into giggles. They had been friends far too long, which was why Lucy decided to tell the whole truth, since Rufus was so open with her.

"Rufus?"

He could sense a shift in her mood, "What is it?"

"I may also have a teeny tiny crush on Flynn as well."

Rufus blinked, "I can't believe I'm besties with a hoe."

Lucy gave him a look, no longer in the mood for games. He apologized with a look and took her hand. "They're married. To each other."

"I _know_ , Rufus."

"Hey, I'm not trying to upset you. I don't want you getting your heart broken, again."

"I didn't know Wyatt was married."

Rufus patted her hand. "You know Wyatt better than I do. That he never told you that important fact was a dick move, if you ask me. Plus, you know, squishy things called emotions are hard to navigate."

She smirked in agreement, then raised her glass. "To these squishy things."

He returned the grin and clinked his beer bottle to her glass. 

They enjoyed their lunch for a few minutes before Lucy thought to broach a new topic.

"So. You haven't told me what you think of the Flynns." She hoped it sounded casual enough, but she was genuinely curious of what his thoughts were of their hosts.

"Honest?"

"Of course," Lucy urged him on.

"Lorena is cool, but Flynn is one uber dramatic mofo."

Lucy nearly choked on her drink.

"You've seen how that dude dresses," Rufus laughed. "Long-ass waistcoat and ruffle like it's still the... um... when was the Victorian era?"

"Late 19th," Lucy said behind her drink, thinking of every one of those outfits.

"The dude is cosplaying steampunk is all I'm saying," Rufus laughed.

"Clothing aside," Lucy tried not to laugh along with him, "what do you think of the Flynns?"

"I think..." he took a second.

"I think they're hiding something," he eventually admitted. "It's not necessarily a bad thing, but they are."

"I think you're right," Lucy sighed. "I trust them, I feel that, but they are keeping something from us."

"What do you want to do about it?"

It was a question Lucy had been asking herself. Does she let it go or does she follow her instincts. Something was there, so obvious, that she wasn't seeing.

"Think you can talk to Jiya? Maybe do some subtle mining for information?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Rufus started to act suave, or actually the exact opposite of. "Just call me James Bond."

This might have been a mistake, but no backing out now.

The next day, Lucy was once again standing on a ladder in the library. Rufus had gone to fetch them some snacks when her mother called, asking for updates.

Lucy was speaking to her through wireless earphones. She's learned over time that wires, ladders, and being a klutz don't mix.

“I don't see why we can't just buy the manor, Lucy. You're going to be spending months there, you might get attached.” Her mother was saying.

Lucy rolled her eyes. Her mother also suggested buying a family out of their home if Lucy had to spend more than a week authenticating an heirloom or artifact. She couldn't believe that she had thought the very same when she had first arrived, she shivered at the image of her turning into her mother.

“Are you even listening to me?”

"Yes, mother. But I don't think the Flynns would take too kindly to being forced out of their home. They seem to be very attached to this place and they know all the history behind it. I believe it belonged to a family member at one point."

Lucy just knew her mother was rolling her eyes at the audacity of a family actually loving their home.

“Well if you insist on staying in that dreadful manor by yourself, let me send someone to help you sort through everything.”

"I'm not alone, Mom. Rufus is with me."

Another eye roll, Lucy was sure. “Lucy, dear, you know I adore that young man, but he knows _nothing_ about authentication.”

"He's actually been a great help, I'll have you know!" Lucy defended her friend.

She was so caught up in the conversation that she didn't realize how loose one of the steps had gotten. The ladder worked just fine, but it was an old one.

“I'm sure he has been, Rufus is a very capable young man.” Carol sighed heavily. “I just don't trust these Flynns. People that would refuse such a generous offer have to be hiding something.”

"They are a weird bunch."

“I think we've had dealing with them before.”

"What-" Lucy screams as she slipped off the ladder.

Her head exploded in pain as it glanced off something hard and blunt on her way down. Her surroundings suddenly looked so bright and unfocused that she closed her eyes. She distantly expected to hit the floor hard, but felt her body stop mid-air.

"Lucy! Open your eyes!"

She tried obeying the voice, but she could only manage to squint at the figure above her. But before she could make out the blob that was her rescuer, the darkness took over.

When Lucy finally came to, she was laying on her bed, tucked into the blankets. Her head was splitting but no worse than a hangover.

Then she remembered what happened. Her hands flew to her head and she tried to sit up. That was a mistake and she sank back down. But she did feel a bandage on her head. "Oh god," she mumbled in pain and fear.

"Good morning," Flynn said, he was sitting in a chair next to her bed. "Coffee?"

Lucy eased herself into a sitting position, accepting the cup. "How long was I out?"

"Unconscious? Not long," he answered. "But you fell asleep not too long after Lorena patched you up."

"Oh," Lucy said, not remembering that part, but then she had hit her head. She then noticed she was in her PJ's.

"Don't worry," Flynn smiled, "you were a gentle and responsive lover."

"I wasn't that out of it," Lucy's eyes snapped up at him.

He raised his hand in apology for the joke, a playful grin on his face. "You should be more careful. Maybe stay off the ladder?"

"Yeah," she sipped her coffee, then realized. "But you always seem to be there to catch me."

The playfulness in his eyes was replaced by its usual intensity, even when the grin remained. He tilted his head at her. "What made you say that, Professor?" he asked.

She blinked at him. "You saved me when I fell off the ladder. Again." Not to mention how quickly he got there when she recalled she was alone in the library at the time, but she felt that was another puzzle to be sorted out for another time.

"My dear, are you sure?" he asked gently as he leaned forward, looking perplexed. "You hit your head quite hard." 

He ducked his head to meet her eyes, and Lucy was again mesmerized by their iridescent beauty and how they seem to have this otherworldly... glow?

She was inclined to agree she took quite a blow to the head. She gingerly shook it.

"I-I saw you... and you called me..." she murmured, feeling light-headed all of a sudden. She felt a touch on her shoulder.

"You're tired. You need more rest," Flynn advised in a soothing low tone, guiding her to lie down on her bed once more.

The minute Flynn saw her give in to sleep, he swept out of the room.

When Lucy woke up again, she was alone. Her head felt better and her bandage had been changed. It looked like she slept through a whole day.

After taking a shower and getting dressed in an oversized sweater, she wandered into the hallway. She had no idea where she was going.

She thought of finding Flynn, but she didn't know what she would say. There was a thought she had, right before she fell asleep before, but she couldn't remember what it was.

Finding herself in front of the Flynns’ open bedroom door, she knocked on the frame. "Hello?"

"Garcia? Lorena?" No one answered her, they must be downstairs, or out.

Lucy turned to leave when something caught her eye.

Normally she wouldn't intrude on someone's personal space, but on a dressing table near the door was a framed photo that caught her attention.

It was their wedding photo. At least, that’s what it looked like, if it was taken at the turn of the last century.

Lorena's dress was lovely yet simple, very much something post-Victorian with an empress waist. Flynn was dashing in a military uniform.

But the uniform had the distinct look of something pre-modern. WWI perhaps?

Curiosity getting the better of herself, Lucy walked inside to get a better look at the photo. Sure enough, it was definitely the 1910s. Was this just another novelty photo or did they really cosplay their own wedding?

She saw a signature at the bottom corner and didn't even think, she picked up the framed photo to examine it as she would any other artifact.

_André Kertész, 1917._

It took Lucy a moment, but she remembered that Kertész was a famous photographer who served in the Austro-Hungarian Army during WWI. He died in the 80s, so no way could he have taken the photograph.

"Lucy," her name was called and she startled.

She turned and found Flynn at the threshold. Watching her curiously. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to intrude. I noticed the picture and I was curious."

Flynn stepped into the room, arms clasped behind his back. He wore jeans and a burgundy turtleneck. Lucy suddenly couldn't breathe.

"Ah. Our wedding photo." He smiled as he looked at it. Then he turned his gaze back to her.

"You really dressed like this for your wedding? That's unusual."

Flynn opened his mouth before he shut it. His smile suddenly brightened. He looks as if he's swallowed the sun. "It was a themed wedding. Lorena's idea. She's.. .fascinated with anything WW1-related. She's quite the history buff, as you must know from your many conversations."

Lucy blushed. She had many discussions with Lorena regarding history. And Flynn himself. They both had engaged her in conversation regarding different points in time. They had often expressed their love for the American Revolution and WW1. Both absolutely hated the Prohibition Era for some unknown reason.

"Yes. I'm aware of her love for history. It's refreshing, to have clients to share that with."

"Is that what we are, Professor? Just clients?" Flynn took a step closer, invading her personal space. But she didn't mind it at all.

"Here I thought we were becoming friends." A voice from the doorway cut through the air.

Lucy turned her head. Lorena was walking into the room. Lucy suddenly blushed a deep red and took a step back from Lorena's husband. She shouldn't be that close to a married man to begin with.

"We were just talking about you, sweetheart." Flynn smirked at his wife.

"Yes! I was admiring your wedding photo. And just… talking. I should go." Lucy stuttered and blushed once more.

Lorena's hand suddenly on her arm kept her in place. "Please don't let me interrupt you."

They were too close. Lucy's heart was practically beating out of her chest. The Flynns both bit their lips and Lucy was positive that she was going to combust. 

"You are looking quite… flushed, my dear." Flynn's voice was low and gravelly.

"You should relax. Our bed is much more comfortable than yours." Lorena suggested.

"I have… cataloging to do. I need to find Rufus." With that, she ran from the room.

Garcia leaned back against the desk, trying to get himself under control. He never thought he'd feel such thrill after a long, long time.

He looked up at Lorena. She seemed to be in the same state. "Did you..."

"Yes," came her breathy response that threatened to send Garcia over the edge.

He shook his head, instinctively licking his lower lip. "The professor is quite the"—he blew out a gusty sigh; how can he feel this giddy?—"quite the creature. Is she not, _ljubavi_?"

"Quite," Lorena agreed, walking up to him and laying a hand on his chest. " _You_ seem quite flushed. Maybe you should lie down?" 

Her statement made them both grin. Garcia grinned wider as he pulled his wife flush to him. "Perhaps we should."

***

Lucy had run to her room, trying to get her own breathing under control. The warmth she was feeling all over had yet to subside.

The longer she stayed with the Flynns, the harder it was to be around them. But she just couldn't leave; not with the rich history around her, and-and...

She needed a shower. And find Rufus, like she said she would. 

"I like a good local fare," Rufus commented after they ordered their coffee, "but you shot out of that place like a bat out of hell."

Lucy winced at the accuracy of the statement.

"Are you okay?" Rufus turned serious. "Have they hurt you, made you uncomfortable? ‘Cause we can leave right now. No questions."

Uncomfortable was a good word for it, but not in the way Rufus was meaning. "There is just... something about them. One minute we're talking about the historical merit of Hamilton versus the real man, Flynn knowing so much you think he met the man."

"You also had that really heated discussion regarding Benedict Arnold," Rufus pointed out.

"Yes!" Lucy shook her head. "And Lorena, you think she was there, in Boston, when polio was successfully cultured. I've never met two people who were just as passionate and knowledgeable as me."

"And hot," Rufus said blankly. "You can say it."

"And hot." Lucy laid her head on the table.

"Well, I've been chatting with Jiya," Rufus continued while she tried to become one with the worn wood. "Every time I think I might be getting some info... she distracts me."

Lucy glanced up at him. "Define distracting."

Rufus simply blushed.

"Rufus?" She raised a brow at him.

He cleared his throat a few times and shifted in his seat. "She puts her hand on my arm. One time she put it on my knee."

Lucy waited for him to continue, but he didn't. "What is this, the hand flex scene in Pride and Prejudice? Is it scandalous to you that she's putting her hands on you?"

Rufus sighed heavily, annoyed. "Lucy, it's… different. She's different. I can't explain it. But every time she so much as looks my way, I feel this connection between us. Like we were meant to have met. When she touches me it's...weird."

Lucy reached out and took his hand, "If she is making you uncomfortable we can leave."

He pulled his hand from hers with a roll of his eyes and she laughed. "Like you're doing any better with the Flynns."

The waitress walked over with their order of pastries, smiling at them. "I understand that you're working for the family in the old Alilović manor."

Lucy and Rufus shared a look. They both nodded and the young woman's smile widened. "My _baka_ said the husband looks a lot like his _deda _. The family resemblance is very strong."

Lucy kicked Rufus under the table.

"Ow!" He glared at her, but her look stopped him from yelling at her. "There aren't many old photos in the manor." He explained to the waitress.

The young woman thought for a moment, before smiling again. "I believe my _baka_ has photo in the back from when _kafić_ first opened.

The Flynn family have always been klijenti. I can show it to you."

Lucy sat up straighter in her chair, an eager look on her face, "Yes please. If your _baka_ is agreeable, of course."

The woman smiled with a nod, "She will be happy for company. Someone to tell stories to."

Lucy and Rufus were invited into the back of the cafe where the owner's baka, an elderly woman with soft white hair named Kata, was cutting up vegetables.

" _Baka_ ," the lady said, "this lady would like to hear about the Flynns."

The woman's eyes lit up, "Oh, yes, what a lovely family, such a shame what happened."

"Shame what happened?" Lucy asked, her eyes tracking to a photograph on the wall that showed... wait...

"Gospodin Flynn gave my _deda _ funds to open this cafe, after the Great War," Kata continued. "That is them, in the photo, with my _tata _."

Standing next to Kata's grandfather and quite young father was a man dressed in Victorian garb. He had facial hair of a neat, trimmed, mustache. He looked exactly like Flynn.

Lucy had seen plenty of photos where people looked like their ancestors. Amy looked near identical to their grandmother Ruth. But only "nearly"... this elder Flynn was exact.

"Uncanny," Rufus said next to her.

Kata wandered over to an old hutch that was probably from the 1800s. "Gospodin Flynn had a lovely wife, and daughter. I never met them, of course. They were murdered before I was born."

Lucy's eyes snapped over to her. "Murdered?"

"Yes," Kata pulled out a box that was frayed at the edges and started to go through the thick photos inside. "In the early 20s. I, ah, my memory is failing me, I'm sorry."

Kata's granddaughter put a loving hand on her shoulder. " _U redu je baka _."

Kata smiled and then continued her search. "Here it is," she passed over a photo. "I... I can't remember the woman's name, but their daughter was Iris, I remember that."

"Jiya mentioned an Iris," Rufus pointed out, "said it was like Lorena's sister. She lives in Paris, I think."

"Lorena," Kata mulled that over. "The name sounds familiar, that may be the wife's name."

Lucy heard them, but she was focused on the photograph. Next to Kata's family was Flynn and Lorena, holding a young girl, maybe four. 

It was them.

"Do you remember anything about them? How they were killed? Or who did it?" Lucy was still staring at the photo.

Kata thought for a moment, "I remember stories. Gospodin went crazy afterwards. I remember my _tata _ tell me how he had seen the man at the graveyard for a week before never seeing him again. You could see him in the window sometimes, _Tata_told me.The town had been very worried about him, checked on him often. Then one day, he just wasn't there."

The granddaughter put her arm around her _baka _before looking at Lucy, "It's rumored that he moved to America. Started a new life with a new family there. The stories must be true if his grandson is here, no?"

Lucy looked at Rufus, who looked equally spooked by the story. "Was anyone ever charged for the murders?"

Kata looked up at her granddaughter, not understanding. But the granddaughter waved her concerns away with another smile, "Our library will have records, I'm sure. My _baka's_ memory is not what it once was."

Lucy smiled at them before she took a picture of the old photo. "Thank you so much for your time. It's been most helpful."

"We're going to the library, aren't we?" Rufus said as they got outside.

"You saw that photo, Rufus." Lucy's heart was racing. What was going on? "That was them. Even if I want to say Flynn just looks like his ancestor, that doesn't explain Lorena looking like the wife."

"Yeah, that would be a hell of a coincidence," Rufus agreed. "But what is the other possibility? Time travel? Even Connor hasn't figured that one out yet, and trust me, he would if he could."

"Time travel?" Lucy made a face. "Doubtful. But something is amiss here. I can feel it."

"You do have really good instincts," Rufus pointed out.

"So drop me off at the library, then go see Jiya," she told him after a second's thought. "See if you can get more information about the family, about this sister, Iris, in Paris. I'll text you when I'm ready to get a lift back."

"I'll expect a text when the library closes and they kick you out," Rufus said blankly.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Rufus hugged Lucy and wished her luck before going back to the manor. He was trying to think of a good excuse to talk to Jiya. She was beautiful and he became tongue-tied whenever he was around her. She'd never go for a guy like him… story of his life, he supposed. He was glad he had Lucy and Connor to boost his self confidence.

"Mr. Carlin?"

Rufus startled out of his thoughts. Flynn was sitting in front of the fireplace in the living room, reading. "Uh...hi. Is Jiya around?" He was a little nervous about being alone with this seemingly immortal man.

"She's in the kitchen preparing dinner with Lorena. Where's the Professor? You two did have lunch together, yes?"

Rufus didn't want to answer. For all he knew this man was dangerous and didn't want whatever secrets he had to come to light. But he had to say _something_ , "Yeah, Lucy wanted to take a walk around the town. She's been cooped up in here for weeks. She does this when she needs a break. Could take hours."

Flynn just stared at him. "Well, it'll be dark in a few hours. I hope she returns soon." He then goes back to his book and Rufus leaves.

“Have a nice break?” Jiya was chopping vegetables with eye-catching efficiency.

“Yeah, we went back to that little cafe. Got a history lesson... the owner’s, uh, grandma? Was telling us some stories about this place.” He rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to be nervous.

“I bet Lucy enjoyed that.” Lorena stirred something on the stove.

Jiya’s knife slowed. “What kind of stories?”

“Um... something about a family tragedy, a pair of murders? A long time ago...” Rufus trailed off at the look on Jiya’s face. But she wasn’t looking at him.

Lorena was even paler than usual, and her focus was far, far away. As if in a dream, she touched her chest, and then her throat.

“Aunt Lorena,” Jiya bit out, emphasizing every syllable.

Lorena snapped back to them. “Oh! Sorry. Just tired. Garcia and I had a... tiring day.”

Jiya looked at him, and jerked her head towards the hallway. He followed her—

He turned the corner, and she kissed him fiercely.

Her warm body pressed him up against the cold wall. His hands slid instinctively through her hair— he wasn’t really capable of thought just then—

She pulled back far too soon. His stunned brain managed to notice... the tears in her eyes. What?

“Jiya?” he whispered.

“I like you, Rufus.” Her voice was low and fierce. “Don’t make me regret that. Because neither of us would like that.”

She walked away, leaving him staring.

Across town, Lucy was at the library, doing what she did best. She was elbow deep in the archives section. Eventually she ran across a large bound book which held the newspapers from the 20s. Not having an exact date, she started on Jan 1st, 1920 and kept going.

There were a few references to Flynn and the good works he did around the area. When he came back from the war, he helped anyone he could to rebuild.

The picture of him with Kata's grandfather was there.

When she got to early December, 1923, she found what she was looking for.

The newspaper article was detailed. It spoke of how Flynn had met Lorena, a Red Cross worker, during the war, in 1917, to be exact. The same date on the photograph in their bedroom.

They had a daughter, Iris, the following the year. This would have made her five in 1923.

During the night, armed men entered the mansion and attacked the family. Flynn fought them off, killing a few even, but his wife and daughter were shot, mortal wounds.

There had to be more to this, so she kept moving forward, looking for more articles. And there was one in January which stated that Flynn had left, presumably to America, as he had ties there, an ancestor of his having participated in the American Revolution alongside Alexander Hamilton himself.

But the truly interesting part was the fact no arrests were made. No one could prove who hired the men to attack. But there was one suspect who had come to town only a week before. Someone Flynn had run across during the Great War.

Nicholas Keynes…

The picture of the man they showed with his arm around Flynn was eerily similar to her uncle Nicholas. _'No, that can't be...'_ Lucy thought as she stared at the picture. She knew her uncle. He was a teenager when she was a child and he had aged. Maybe he just happened to look like

his grandfather. It wasn't unusual for a grandchild to share a name with their grandparent.

She went through the entire book. There were no more mentions of the Flynns. They must have stayed in America.

Lucy's mind raced. What _were_ they? Vampires? Lucy laughed at the thought.

They could clearly be photographed and seen in mirrors. The curtains stayed open during the day, and they slept at night, so she could rule that theory out.

"Miss?" Lucy screamed at the hand on her shoulder and the librarian jumped back, also frightened. "O Bože moje! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you, Miss. But the Library is about to close."

Lucy looked at her watch and noticed the time. Almost midnight. "You close at midnight? That's unusual. "

"I suppose. It was a requirement when the library was first built. Scholars always lose track of time." He motioned at the table, covered in books and gave Lucy a look.

"Ah… um, do you happen to have a book on just the Flynn family?" Lucy asked as she helped the librarian pick up the books.

"I don't believe so. But I can look into it if you want. I do have a book on the Alilović Manor. It's entire history and past residents."

Lucy gave him a look, she hadn't told him what she was looking into.

The man smiled, "This is a small town, Miss. Kata is my aunt. She called to make sure I was doing my best to help you."

"That was very kind of her."

"You can check the book out. But only for a day or two. It's very old."

Thirty minutes later, Lucy was walking out of the library, book in hand. It was too late to call Rufus, so she decided to walk back to the manor. When she turned onto the next block she saw Flynn.

"Lucy!"

"Flynn!" Lucy yelped back.

"Apologies for frightening you," he said with a smile, "but I knew the library had closed, and when you did not call Rufus..."

"Oh, ah, I didn't want to bother him so late."

"You should not walk so late on your own." He offered her his arm.

Despite everything she had learned, all the questions she had, she knew in her gut she could trust this man. She slipped her arm in his and they began walking back to the manor.

"Find anything of interest?" Flynn asked.

"Many things, actually," Lucy told him.

"Less interesting and more... impossible."

"I see," he replied neutrally. "You spoke to Kata, I believe? Her family is such lovely people. Her grandfather was the only person in town who could make a decent cup of coffee."

"So you've been told," Lucy said with a hint of accusation.

Flynn simply smiled down at her. "The family resemblance is very uncanny."

Lucy was through playing games. The manor in sight, she stopped them, making him face her. In the soft glow of the street lamp, she stood up to him, not even a little bit afraid.

"What are you hiding?"

"Lucy," he said her name in the way that made her insides turn to mush but she was getting her answers.

"The wedding photo is real, isn't it?" she flat came out with it. "It's impossible, but the photos, the history, it all lines up, except it's impossible. So explain to me how it's possible."

Flynn licked his lips and tightened his throat. "If I answer that question, there is no going back."

"We're long past that, Garcia," she told him. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life..."

"Then tell me the truth."

Flynn glanced at the manor and noticed Lorena watching them from the window. He knew she could hear and see them clear as day. She gave a nod and he understood what she wanted.

He took a deep breath. He hadn't revealed this in a long while. Not since Jiya was a child. When he looked back down at Lucy, something in her bag caught his eye. A book. With a very familiar binding. That book was not allowed to leave the library.

Flynn had a horrible thought about how she could have gotten that out. He wanted to check on the young librarian to ensure his safety. Lucy was, after all, Rittenhouse. and Karl had yet to arrive with the information he had gathered on their houseguest.

"The truth, Professor, is that I'm clearly a vampire. And I drink the blood of the innocent to keep my amazing glow."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Come on, Garcia. I thought you could trust me?"

"Lucy, I don't know what wild conspiracies you have dreamt up, but I assure you, the family resemblance is just that uncanny." He glanced at his wife in the window, she looked confused.

"And how do you explain Lorena?"

"Honestly if I could, I would. That woman is a mystery I've been trying to solve for years. But really, when I brought her home the first time my grandfather almost had a heart attack. Said we were doomed to repeat history." Flynn chuckled with a roll of his eyes.

Lucy knew she wasn't getting anywhere with this. So she decided to cut her losses. She'd just have to investigate further. "Fine. Don't tell me." She walked into the manor like an upset child.

He followed behind and waited until she was up the stairs before going into the dining room. Lorena sat with two wine glasses and passed on to him. "What was that?"

"The truth can be a convincing lie if said as plainly as possible."

"And what, dear husband, prompted you to speak so plainly to our lovely professor?"

"She has Stiv's book. I trust her, but my instincts are all over the place. I want to check on the librarian. She might have had to hurt him to get that book."

"Or he just let her check it out. You can't be paranoid all the time, Garcia."

Flynn scoffed, "How can you say that after what her family did to us? To our daughter?"

"That was Nicolas," she said, bile in her throat. "Do you really think Lucy has anything in common with that man?"

"I trusted him, too," Flynn bit out.

"But not like you trust Lucy," Lorena pointed out. "You've fallen in love with her."

"Lorena-"

She put a finger on his lips.

"Immortality has taught us a great many things," she said softly. "That love can be eternal, but it doesn't have to be singular."

He took her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "I do love her, and perhaps that is something I fear the most."

"That she doesn't feel the same, or that she loves you, or even us, in return?"

Flynn is speechless, his heart in his throat.

"Come on," Lorena said, putting her arm around him. "We'll check on the librarian, and once you see he's okay, we'll go to bed. Tomorrow we can discuss this with fresh eyes."

He nodded; it's a good idea. And once his fear was proven unfounded, the librarian safely tucked away at home, Flynn allowed himself to relax, just a bit.

But he still had no idea what to do about Lucy... because she would find out the truth, one way or another. That was the kind of person that she was.

And he loved that about her.

She stared at the ceiling, because the clock taunted her with “3:23.”

Time travel was impossible. Vampires, the explanation Flynn had insultingly fobbed her off with, weren’t real.

And yet. The pictures, their knowledge of history...

She knew she wasn’t wrong.

Having worked through dinner, she was also hungry. Finally, she got out of bed, crept downstairs to the fridge—

She stifled a squeak when she stepped in something warm and wet. What the hell?

In the dim overhead light, she saw a puddle of red.

Her heart pounded. It was blood—

No. It was leaking out of the wine cooler. She hadn’t stumbled onto a crime scene. Just merlot. 

Then the coppery smell registered.

Oh God. Oh _God_ . She _was_ standing in a blood puddle. The always-locked cooler was leaking blood. Was there a body in there??

“It’s pig blood.”

Lucy screamed, started, and turned. Flynn was watching her gravely from the door.

“Just pig blood,” he repeated softly.

“Why,” she managed, shaking, “is there _any_ blood in your wine cooler?”

But the sinking feeling in her gut had already told her. And the look on his face...

“I did try to tell you.” He stepped forward, then looked gutted when she flinched.

“You bullshitted me,” she snapped. “How do I know this is even pig’s blood?”

His face hardened. “I haven’t tasted human blood since 1923.”

“Lorena,” Lucy breathed, the pieces falling into place.

“And I’ve never tried it. He says it’s gross.” Lorena stepped out of the shadows and took her husband’s hand.

“You know now, Lucy,” she added, looking sad. “What are you going to do?”

“What am I going to do? What are _you_ going to do?” She didn’t want to fear them—but—

"What we do is entirely dependent upon what you do," Flynn said and Lucy swallowed hard.

"Dear," Lorena said with a sigh, "do you realize how that sounded?"

Flynn thought about it for a second and then his eyes widened slightly. "Ah, yes. What I mean, is that we wish you no harm. We would never hurt you. But we are asking you to keep our secret, so that we might stay. Otherwise, we will simply disappear again."

Lucy looked between them, they seemed... nervous. And if she was honest with herself, they could kill her right now and she couldn't stop them.

What surprised her most was, "I'm not afraid." Sure, she was shocked, her mind warring to accept the truth in front of her. But when she settled from that initial shock, she knew that they would never hurt her.

"I..." Lucy fumbled. "Is Jiya a vampire?"

"No," Flynn answered. "But she knows. We've raised her since she was a child. She is family."

"Okay," Lucy let out a long breath. "And my great grandfather Nicholas? He... ah..."

"Yes," Lorena said tightly.

Lucy nodded, then came to a decision. "Your secret is safe with me... but I have questions."

"We have answers."

After cleaning the pig's blood from her feet, and the floor, they all settled down in the study... and told Lucy everything. 


	2. Rufus and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [#FlynnFriday imagine](https://twitter.com/thalia_msr/status/1251063873555304450): Lucy and Rufus struggle with the knowledge of vampires actually existing. Meanwhile Flynn, Lorena, and Lucy grow closer. All this while Rittenhouse decides to launch an attack against the Flynn's at the manor.
> 
> #VampireAU #Riya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating's been cranked up to Explicit with the added smut we didn't post on Twitter. The last scene was mostly written by RedGold, with additions from DraejonSoul/UnunpredictableMe. If you want to skip it, don't read beyond the [Bonus Scene] section.
> 
> _Additional tw: bloodplay/unintentional bloodplay_

Rufus knew something was up.

Lucy had started to act a little more cagey, and was hiding something from him. She never hides things from him. She even spilled the beans on his surprise birthday party last year.

And then there was the wine fridge. It stopped working the same time Lucy started to act funny. And the Flynns had made sure to replace it very very quickly... and still with the lock. Why would they lock up wine they clearly drank?

Everyone was occupied, Jiya was in town, Flynn and Lorena were discussing some European WWII battle.

Now was his chance. Rufus slipped into the kitchen and picked the lock on the fridge. He learned how to do it from a YouTube video.

He grabbed a bottle and pulled off the cork. It smelt... metallic. Kinda coppery. Pouring a small amount into a glass, it became clear this was not red wine.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit," Rufus backed up into the table.

Why did the Flynns have blood??? Were they vampires? No, don't be silly, those don't exist.  _ But  _ there were people who bathed in blood and did weird shit, like Lady Báthory. The Flynns were serial killers! Maybe Lucy figured it out and her silence was her trying to protect him?

"Lucy!" He needed to save her, get them both away from this place as quickly as possible.

Rufus grabbed the first weapon he saw, a sturdy cast iron skillet, and made for the study.

_ 'Shit. Now what?' _

He didn't think beyond picking up the skillet before he found himself in front of the closed door to the study room. What could he, a computer nerd with a frying pan, hope to accomplish in the face of one, maybe two stone-cold serial killers? He really should have given this more thought. However, he was getting convinced that the longer he and Lucy stay in this manor, the more likely they will end up the Flynns’ next victim. He couldn't let that happen, not if–

The door swung open just as a strident voice made him jump. "Rufus! Good of you to finally join us!" Flynn said jovially, waving him inside. Rufus noticed Lucy was sitting with Lorena on the couch, seemingly unharmed and undisturbed to be alone with the couple.

Seeing Rufus unmoving, Flynn sighed. "You can put that away. Nobody will hurt you here."

At a look and a gesture from Lucy, Rufus lowered the skillet from above his head.

"We would hate to think what you would have done to that poor skillet," Lorena chimed in, eyes twinkling. "That's been in our family for centuries!"

“I need to talk to Lucy.” She didn’t seem alarmed... but she hadn’t seen what he’d seen.

“I’m right here,” she said.

He looked at her.

She sighed, and came to the door. “What is it? And why do you have a skillet?”

He led her around the corner and far down the hall.

“There is some creepy shit going on here,” he hissed, when he was sure they were alone. “They have  _ blood  _ in the wine refrigerator.”

“I distinctly recall locking that,” Flynn said, directly behind him.

Rufus screamed, and spun. Keeping Lucy behind him, he brandished the pan.

Flynn looked unimpressed. “I told you, Rufus, no one’s going to hurt you.”

“Where the hell did you come from?!” It came out more soprano than Rufus would have liked. He’d heard  _ no  _ footsteps.

“Hell,” Flynn said, with a straight face that Rufus wasn’t at all in the mood for.

“Why is there  _ blood  _ in your fridge?” he demanded.

“I locked that,” Flynn said.

“I picked it!”

“It’s a... supplement regime.”

Rufus looked at him.

Flynn sighed. “Fine. We’re vampires.”

“Vampires don’t exist,” Rufus snapped.

“Why does no one ever believe me?” Flynn sighed.

"Science."

"AH!" Rufus reacted to Lorena's sudden appearance beside them by swinging the skillet. He just barely missed the woman who stepped back far enough to avoid getting hit.

"No one believes anymore," Lorena carried on as if that hadn't happened. "Science hasn't proven us to exist, therefore very intelligent and science orientated individuals like Mr. Carlin here wants proof."

Flynn huffed, annoyed. "Well, I'm not going to turn into a bat, if that's what you're saying."

"Let's not have that discussion right now, dear."

These two were crazy, Rufus was sure of it. But they seemed to have gotten into a discussion about bats and shape shifting and whatever.

"Let's go," he said quietly, grabbing Lucy's wrist and quickly walking away, heading towards the front door.

"Rufus, wait," Lucy called out.

"They really are vampires!"

"Vampires don't exist, Lucy," Rufus said as they entered the hallway. "They, I dunno, they hypnotized you or something. We need to go, now!"

"Rufus, that's not..." Lucy tried to free herself from him. Normally he would never handle anyone like this, but if Lucy believed the Flynns’ lie, then he needed to get her away, for her own good.

Rufus threw open the front door.

Jiya was standing there, key out, shopping back in hand. "Hey," she said brightly, then saw what was happening.

"Jiya, tell him," Lucy said, pointing at Rufus. "The Flynns are vampires."

"No they aren't," Rufus reiterated. 

"Yes, they are, Rufus," Jiya told him, letting out a long sigh. "The Flynns are vampires. And... and I'm a witch."

Rufus looked upset to hear Jiya say that. He  _ really  _ liked her, but she believed whatever crazy nonsense the Flynn's were saying. "I'm a little disappointed that someone as smart as you would believe something so ridiculous."

The hurt that flashed across Jiya's face was enough reason for Flynn to drop all pretenses. He grabbed Rufus by the collar, pulled him back into the manor, and lifted him in the air.

Rufus's eyes went wide in fear as he dropped Lucy's wrist to grab onto the... _ one hand _ ??? That was lifting him up.

"That wasn't a very nice thing to say, Mr. Carlin. I suggest you apologize." Flynn growled at the younger man, murder in his eyes.

"I...I..." Rufus was too frightened to speak and he looked towards Lucy for help, but she was gone. His best friend was nowhere in sight and he was pretty sure he was gonna die. "Please don't kill me." He begged.

Lorena put her hand on Flynn's arm, who only glanced at her before huffing out a breath. He lowered Rufus to the ground, straightened out his clothes before pinning him to the wall with just a finger.

"I told you. No one is going to harm you. No matter how much you might deserve it at this moment."

At that moment, Lucy came rushing back in with the book she had acquired from the library. She had wanted to return it as she had promised, but Lorena said she had talked to the librarian and that the book was hers for as long as she needed it. She flipped to the page where she had found a picture of Lorena, Flynn, a child, and two men. "Rufus, look at this. Look at the date. This is supposedly Garcia's grandparents. Why would his grandmother and his wife look identical?"

Rufus couldn't move, as he was pinned, but he reached out for the book and studied the picture the way he would a piece of code. He glanced between the Flynns and the photo. "What you are all suggesting is impossible."

"No," Jiya said, "It's not. Vampires exist. And have existed for as long as this Earth has spun."

Rufus looked at everyone around him. He didn't know  _ what  _ to believe at this point. He just knew that he wanted to take Lucy out of this place.

"Jiya, why don't you take Lucy and put those groceries away?" Lorena ordered more than suggested. "We'll convince Mr. Carlin."

A high-pitched whine escaped Rufus' throat unbidden. He coughed to cover it up. "Yeah, no. I'd like to have my friend here to h-help you convince me. You know..."

Flynn closed his eyes as an exasperated sigh escaped him. As he looked down at Rufus again, Rufus' blood ran cold.

"D-d-d-dude. Y-y-y-y-your eyes..."

Yep, he's gonna die.

“Yes, Rufus,” Flynn said. “My eyes change color. Does that seem natural to you?”

Rufus forced himself not to be mesmerized by the amber tints in Flynn’s eyes. Or his, you know, impending death.

Oh God, he was the Black guy in a horror movie.

“I–I mean,” he heard himself say.

Flynn raised an eyebrow.

_ Stop talking _ , Rufus, he thought. But what came out was: “In the interests of s-science, you know, it could be... contacts.”

Flynn stared at him in disbelief. The growl that came out of him definitely sounded... inhuman.

“Fine,” he bit out.

He undid his buttons and shrugged out of his shirt with casual nonchalance. “Tell me, o man of science,” he growled. “Is this survivable?”

Flynn didn’t have to specify what “this” was. The gruesome, jagged scar at the base of his neck...

Rufus swallowed. “No,” he whispered.

Was Lucy seeing this, too? Her eyes were wide with–

Oh God. He was the Black guy in a horror movie, and his best friend, the only other sane one here, was thinking with her... yeah.

“Lucy!” he hissed, as her gaze very visibly swept down Flynn’s bare torso.

Lucy barely managed some unintelligible whine, her eyes glued to Flynn's heaving abs. Okay, sure, chicks dig scars, but nobody could be disemboweled like that and survive.

Can they?...

Before Rufus’ masculinity got taken down several more pegs, Lorena came up beside her husband and laid a hand on his bare shoulder.

"I think they've seen enough, my love," she entreated. He didn't move, so Lorena reached up to his cheek so he faced her.

Reason seemed to have returned in Flynn's gaze, and he melted into Lorena's hand. Tenderly, she drew his shirt back into place.

Flynn made eye contact with Lucy as Lorena buttoned up his shirt. She looked disappointed that he was being covered up so he winked at her before dropping his finger from Rufus's chest.

"I still want him to apologize to Jiya." Flynn stated as he moved away from the other man.

"I'm sure he will. Won't you?" Lorena glared at a still frightened Rufus. He just nodded. "Good. Now, do you believe us?" Before he answered, Lorena lifted him once more in the air with just two fingers.

Rufus's eyes got impossibly wider and he glanced over at Lucy. Flynn was standing directly behind her with a smile on his face.

"Really, Lorena?" Jiya asked once she entered the hallway. "Haven't you all scared him enough?"

Rufus looked absolutely terrified and Jiya swallowed down her disappointment. She really  _ really  _ likes Rufus and she had allowed herself to believe that he might be different from the others that normally decided killing the 'abominations' was a better option than just accepting it.

Lorena could smell the fear rolling off of Rufus in waves and she suddenly felt guilty for giving into her frustrations. She let Rufus down and waved him away.

He stumbled towards the door and opened it, determined to get away from this place. He had a thought to call Lucy's mom and try to explain… what exactly? He didn't know. But Lucy calling his name stopped him from going further than the threshold.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Lucy asked

"No."

"Have you ever given you reason to doubt something I've said?" She was close enough to put her hand on his shoulder.

His shoulders dropped along with his head, "No."

"Then why won't you believe me now?" She sounded hurt.

He looked at her in disbelief. “You tell me that vampires and witches exist, and you wonder why five minutes later I’m still skeptical?”

Her shoulders dropped. “Just... keep an open mind, okay?”

“Oh, trust me, I’m very open-minded that there is freaky stuff happening here!”

“She didn’t tell you witches exist.” Jiya’s voice was sharp. “I did.”

He turned to her. “Look, this is a lot,” he said. “But, I’m sorry I said it was ridiculous. Whatever... this is, it’s clearly important to you.”

Whatever the hell was going on here... he’d hurt Jiya.

And he didn’t want that.

Jiya’s face eased. “Scully, you’re adorable,” she said wryly. “Thank you. But that’s not the only apology that needs to happen. They shouldn’t have manhandled you like that.”

The Flynns were already well down the hallway, but somehow, they heard.

And Rufus got the feeling Jiya had intended that. So, she was used to their super-hearing.

The Flynns exchanged unreadable glances. “I’m sorry, Rufus,” Lorena said. “Garcia and I are protective of our family. We have good reason. But, not a good reason to throw our weight around.”

She looked pointedly at her husband.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I apologize, Rufus.”

Rufus swallowed. “O... kay.” Maybe he could stay a little longer. He wouldn’t leave Lucy, he didn’t want to leave Jiya, and... 

Something told him not to call Carol.

“Wait.” Lucy’s voice was steely.

She took a step towards the couple. “I want to know about that scar.”

Flynn waited, impassive.

“Because it looks like someone tried to behead you,” Lucy added.

Flynn and Lorena looked at each other again. After a long, long moment, Flynn said, “Let’s go into the study.”

Everyone settled in the study and sat in silence while Lorena prepared tea and coffee for them. Rufus sat extremely close to Lucy on the love seat. Ready to either protect her or bolt from the room.

Flynn and Jiya sat on opposite ends of the cabriole, leaving space for Lorena.

Once she had entered the study and handed out the beverages, Flynn stood, pacing as he spoke, "I had gotten caught up in the war."

"Afghanistan?" Rufus interrupted.

"The Revolution."

"You're....How old exactly?"

Flynn stopped pacing to roll his eyes in frustration. "Do you want to hear this or not?" He glared at the infuriating genius.

Lucy not so subtly elbowed Rufus in the side. He grunted in pain before nodding for Flynn to continue.

Taking a deep breath, he started again. "I had gotten caught up in the war. I wanted to leave behind a legacy that I could be proud of. General Washington had given a handful of us a mission. He had thought there were spies among his men."

"Was there?" Lucy interrupted this time, but instead of getting annoyed, Flynn was enchanted by her obvious excitement.

"Yes. And no. I had found a spy, but he wasn't a British spy. He worked for an American named David Rittenhouse."

Lucy gasped. She knew the name from studying her family history. She was a direct descendent from David Rittenhouse.

Flynn continued, "Rittenhouse had several spies, but I couldn't exactly take that to the General. Excusing fellow soldiers of being spies was considered blasphemy unless there was solid proof. I… I decided to follow one of the men one night. Benedict Arnold. He must have figured me out because one moment I was following him and the next I was waking up in a basement. One of the spies, a Lieutenant, and David Rittenhouse himself were in the corner. A man I had never seen before stood above me with an executioner's axe. It was dull.”

Flynn rubbed the scar, lost in memory. Lorena reached for the hand that held his cup. He blinked away the images, wanting to finish as quickly as possible. He gave his wife a grateful smile before continuing.

"They interrogated me for a few hours. I'd like to say I didn't break, but..." His voice cracked a little and he cleared his throat. "They decided that I knew too much. So, Rittenhouse ordered his man to behead me. But, like I said… the blade was dull. Didn't go through all the way. They left me in the basement to die, with the axe still in my neck."

"How did you… I don't know..." Rufus fumbled for a good word, but settled on, "survive?"

Flynn scoffed at the wording, "I  _ am  _ dead. I had befriended a soldier, a fellow Slav. Stiv. He is the actual owner of this Manor. He had followed me that night, whether to seduce me or feed off of me, he's never explained. But he turned me. I'm sure he's regretted it a few times."

“So, there you were,” Lucy said. “Newly undead. What did you do?”

“I... traveled,” Flynn said vaguely. “The adjustment was, ah...” His stare acquired the distant look Rufus recognized from a soldier he knew. 

“Substantial,” he said quietly, and came back to the present.

“Discovering that I was essentially indestructible, I lent my efforts to a number of causes over the years. I kept company with various... charming women, and men, until they noticed too much.”

Rufus swallowed.

“At which point I  _ left _ ,” Flynn said pointedly.

“Then I met Lorena, and you know the rest.”

“And the men who killed you?” Lucy asked.

Flynn shook his head. “I don’t know. But the descendants...” He met Lucy’s gaze squarely. “Spread through the years, as you know, and when I came across them doing something nefarious… I killed them,” he finished.

“You’ve been... killing my family?” Lucy’s voice was faint. Rufus put his arm around her shoulders.

Flynn’s jaw tightened. “Only those who deserved it. Blood isn’t destiny, Lucy. Most of your extended family chose not to do terrible things.

“Them, I left alone.” He leaned forward. “And we would never hurt you, Lucy. You know that, I hope.”

Lucy didn’t hesitate. “I do.” She stared at Flynn like...

Okay, that part Rufus wasn’t even going to  _ touch _ .

“Or Rufus,” Flynn added. “However annoyingly rational he may be.”

“Yeah, rational, how awful,” Rufus muttered. “So... you just hang out here, not-living the idle un-life of the rich and dead?”

Flynn and Lorena exchanged looks. “We have a good life,” Lorena said. “We have each other. A few of the village elders know. And our daughter, Iris visits us from Paris every year. Rittenhouse thinks they ended her and I that night. We’ve let them believe that... so they don’t try again.”

Rufus swallowed. “Okay, your crazy secret is... safe with me. And not only because I want to kiss Jiya again.”

Jiya’s expression was warm. He smiled at her.

“Then nothing has to change.” Lorena looked at Lucy. “Unless you... want it to.”

Lucy looked steadily back.  _ So _ not touching that.

The rest of the day was blessedly uneventful, except for making out with Jiya, which was amazing.

Two days later, Rufus walked into the kitchen to see Flynn and Lorena pouring themselves a glass of pig's blood. They had assured him it came from the butcher's down the road and offered to let him test it.

Rufus was very tempted, but after his initial shock, and a few long talks with Jiya, he decided that he would trust them at their word. Well, trust Jiya, who trusted them.

Still, he had to ask... "Why blood?"

"Pardon?" Flynn said.

"You're dead, right?" Rufus explained. "I assume you aren't making red blood cells anymore. So what do you get from the blood? Oxygen? Iron? Or is it more about the plasma?"

"I've often wondered that myself," Lorena admitted. "I have attempted to figure that out over the years. I would be happy to share my notes with you."

"Lorena," Flynn had a warning edge to his voice.

"Dear, I doubt Rufus is going to use my research against us."

Flynn glanced between them, that paranoid look in his eye of someone who didn't trust easily when it came to certain things.

"Jiya trusts him... as does Lucy."

That seemed to do it, Flynn nodding.

Lorena picked up her glass and pointed to the door. "No time like the present."

Rufus couldn't help the little spike of fear that ran through him at the idea of being alone with a vampire. This is usually when the black guy dies. But fear isn't real, that's what Lucy said, and the Flynns could have killed them long ago.

"Hey, Rufus," Lucy said as she walked into the kitchen as she was coming in.

"We're going to science," he said and then nearly facepalmed.

"Um, have fun with that." Lucy nearly laughed, used to him by now.

Rufus walked out of the kitchen knowing he was leaving Lucy alone with Flynn. But he told himself it would be okay. Fear isn't real.

Trust Lucy.

Trust Jiya.

They were safe.

"I'll ask Jiya to join you once she comes back," Flynn put in.

At Flynn's words and Lucy's encouraging grin, Rufus nodded his thanks before striding to catch up to Lorena.

"So," Flynn announced, perching himself on the old kitchen counter, pinning Lucy with a keen gaze. "Now that you and I are alone. What would you have of me?"

Lucy blinked, too blindsided on how to answer.

"W-what do you mean?" She stuttered, a blush slowly creeping up her cheeks.

Flynn smiled. He could hear her heart racing and smell her arousal, just from the simple question. He could easily turn this conversation into a pleasurable experience for the both of them, but he decided taking her then and there in the kitchen was bad form. Rufus or, Heaven forbid, Jiya could walk in at any given moment. Lorena would gladly join in on the fun. Shame they weren't alone with just Lucy.

He cleared his throat. "You know what I am. How long I've been around. You have questions regarding history and I have potential answers." He stepped closer, leaned his head down closer to her, his eyes filled with desire. "Unless of course you'd like something else?"

Lucy suddenly couldn't breathe. The air seemed to have been sucked from the room. She licked her lips and Flynn tracked its movement before softly tracing its path with his thumb.

"What do you want, Lucy?" His nose flared in response to her growing arousal. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against hers. His voice came out rough when he spoke, "What do you need?"

"I-" she cleared her throat softly, her mouth dry. "I..."

"Yes, Lucy?" He wanted to hear her say it. He wanted that  _ carte blanche _ .

He wants, he wants...

Lucy's chest was heaving, as if seeking more air. He ventured a touch in her shoulder, and she shivered.

"Talk to me." He didn't need to put his power into that whisper. She closed her eyes at the breathed command in her ear, trembling slightly.

"G-Garcia..."

"We forgot to grab some snacks."

Lucy jumped away at hearing Lorena stride in and head for the cupboards for said snacks.

With Lorena's back to them, Lucy leaned heavily on the counter, hands on her heated face. Garcia simply stood there looking amused.

Lorena quickly assembled the treats and some soda on a tray. As she reached the threshold, she paused and turned to the other two.

"Well? Carry on." She gave a little smirk before disappearing.

Lucy wanted, so badly, to... 

It took all her will power to whisper, “Stop.”

Flynn looked confused. “I–”

“Whatever... vampire suggestion thing you’re doing, stop.”

His eyes widened. “I’m not doing anything, Lucy. Your, ah, reaction, is entirely your own.” He smirked.

She made herself step back from his devastatingly magnetic presence. “You’re married, Flynn. I won’t do that to Lorena.”

“Ah.” He took his own step back, and ran his hand through his hair. “That’s another conversation.”

“What is?”

“That Lorena also... finds you attractive.”

“I’m not something to spice up your marriage,” she snapped.

She wanted them both. Desperately. But she didn’t want to be just the mortal they toyed with for a while and then grew tired of.

She looked away so she didn’t have to see Flynn’s expression.

“Let’s just say I haven’t had the best experiences with married men. To put it mildly.” She swallowed. “And you two are... oh my God, gorgeous, and brilliant, and cultured, and... and I won’t be your plaything.”

“Is that what you think we want?” He sounded disbelieving.

She looked up. “Isn’t it? If I’d... if I’d suggested... here and now–” Her face flamed, but she continued. “Would you have turned me down?”

“Definitely not.” His voice seemed to drop an octave.

Lucy gasped softly. “W– well, then.” 

She wanted so badly to say yes...

But she was done with making stupid decisions and getting her heart broken. And this? Would be one of her stupidest. (Though hottest.)

Silence.

“Someone has been extraordinarily unkind to you, to make you think we wouldn’t value you in any other way,” he observed softly.

She gasped again, eyes prickling. He read her unfairly easily.

He gently cupped her cheek. “Join Lorena and I after supper,” he suggested.

“For?”

“Just conversation. About what you want. What we all want.”

She swallowed again. “And then?”

“Whatever you want, Lucy.”

Whatever she wanted? Slowly, she turned her head, and gently kissed his palm. 

When she looked up, his eyes were amber. He stood stone-still with what she recognized as strained self-control. But he didn’t move. And she knew he wouldn’t without her say-so.

Slowly, she nodded.

Flynn descended achingly slow towards her lips. He gave her a feather light kiss before immediately pulling back, ensuring that this was still what she wanted. "Are you sure?" He whispered against her lips.

She didn't answer. She just lifted onto her toes and captured his lips with hers in slow kiss. She was so lost in the kiss that she hadn't realized they moved until she felt the refrigerator against her back. Then they attacked each other's lips with vigor. She could have stayed in this position forever. _ 'You can't. But he could.' _ Her mind supplied before she came back to herself.

She placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed. He took the hint and immediately broke away from her.

"Sorry. I forget that humans need constant air. Are you feeling lightheaded?" He, himself, was breathing heavily. He took a deep breath and instantly calmed.

Yes. She did feel lightheaded, but she knew it wasn't from lack of oxygen. He still had her pressed against the refrigerator and she could feel his arousal against her . "No...I..."

Flynn seemed to sense her hesitation and removed himself from her entirely. He quickly stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching for her. He would be a gentleman and await verbal consent.

He looked away to try and drown out the thumping of her heart and the thick smell of her arousal. He cleared his throat, "Later, then? You, Lorena, and I will continue this invigorating conversation?" He chanced a glance at her and found her blushing.

"Yes. Later. I–I..." Lucy pointed towards the door. Flynn just smiled and she made a hasty retreat.

She wanted to set some ground rules if they really wanted this. But she just couldn't help herself. She needed to distract herself before dinner. It was moments like these when Lucy wished Amy was around for her to call and ask for advice. But she wasn't.

So she walked to the main study. Hopefully, Rufus was having less of an internal struggle then she was.

"This is fascinating," Rufus said as he looked through the stacks of papers and logs Lorena had shown him. "And very well documented."

"Were you expecting less?" Lorena said crisply.

Rufus made a mental note not to insult the vampires. "I just mean, it's going to take me a few days just to figure out where to start. There is a lot of information to consume."

"Yes," Lorena agreed. "I have a tendency to gather what information I can, when I can. You never know what might come in useful."

"I get that," Rufus said, picking up a file. It was extremely detailed in regards to how vampirism affected the organs. "Did you... did you biopsy a live, um, undead vampire?"

"Oh, yes." Lorena nodded, unfazed. "It was quite useful, but I have nothing to compare what I learned against."

"You... you dissected one of your own?"

"Humans do it all the time in med school," she pointed out.

"Not usually live ones!" Rufus gulped. Maybe Lucy and Jiya had been wrong.

"Context is needed," Lorena replied calmly. "All vampires need blood. Most chose animals. A few have human mates who volunteer. But this one, he hunted humans for sport. The Second World War ravaged the countryside and he took advantage of a small French village. He attacked not to feed, but for fun. He was... rabid. Garcia and Stiv did what they had to, to protect the villagers, and our secret."

Rufus swallowed hard. He always had the idea of vampires being exactly that. The Flynns were proving him wrong, but also right.

"How, uh, how many rabid vampires are there?"

"I hear of one every few years," she answered. "Unfortunately too far, or too late, to be able to do much research."

"Huh."

"Don't worry." Lorena smiled at him and it was almost motherly in a way. But then she was a mother, to a half-vampire who was like a hundred years old by now but still looked like she was thirty-five. "You're safe here, in this village. We won't let anything happen to you."

"But what about when I go home?"

Lorena was thoughtful. "Well, I suppose if Jiya is with you, then you'll be alright there too."

Take Jiya... with him... like live together... Rufus hadn't really thought that far ahead. He did love Jiya, wait, love?, yes, no, shit... oh, he was in trouble. ·

Did they really expect Jiya to go with him? She’d been introduced as a niece, but now he knew she was like a second daughter to them.

A life without Jiya would feel so empty. No wry humor. No quicksilver flashes of genius. No brilliant smiles. Like an image suddenly decolorized.

He looked sideways at Lorena. “Do you think she’d... want to leave the manor?” he asked. Casually. Super casually. Lorena probably thought it was just a random question.

Her smile was gentle. “I think that’s a question for Jiya.”

“So, uh,” he said after a minute. “If she doesn’t, are there, like... weapons?”

Lorena looked at him. “Weapons.”

“Beyond the traditional stake to the heart, beheading, etc. I assume those work.”

“You’re asking me,” she said, “about anti-vampire weapons?”

... oh shit.

His eyes widened. “Oh, shit. I... did not think that through. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” 

Somehow, the thought of hurting these people was even worse than the thought of what they might do to him. Because he’d come to believe they wouldn't hurt him.

Lorena’s expression eased. “I believe you.” She looked down at her work. A long moment passed.

“I thought about it once,” she finally said. “After this vampire terrorized the village. It was... so awful, that... Was it fair, to leave innocents unprotected like that?”

She shook her head. “But you can’t persuade someone to accept protection against something they don’t believe in.”

“Besides... there aren’t many options. New vampires are sensitive to light, but you may have noticed Garcia and I go outside just fine.

“There are... chemical differences, between vampires who drink human blood and those of us who don’t,” she added. “But I haven’t been able to use that information for anything.” She gestured around the room. “Unfortunately, my equipment is very crude.”

Rufus took a quick glance around the room, noticing how it wasn't much different from any of the other rooms in the manor. Older and filled with either books or other historical items. Nothing entirely modern.

The only places he could think of that had any sort of modern tech were the kitchen and Jiya's room… not that he spent much time in her room, it was just the one time she had left the door open...

He was brought back by Lorena's hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Rufus?" She asked a knowing look on her face.

He mentally berated himself. She must be able to hear his rapid heartbeats. He had to be careful around the vampires. He opened his mouth to speak, but Jiya walked in with her tablet and a beautiful smile. His heart rate picked up again.

"Hey, guys. What's up?" Jiya looked down at the files and paperwork Rufus was holding. "Ah. Research, I see. Anything holding your interests?"

_ You _ . He thought before giving a shy smile, "Plenty of information here. I'm sure I'll find something to occupy my mind with."

"Well don't get too occupied. Dinner’s just about ready. Flynn's setting the table as we speak."

"Lucy isn't with him?" Lorena asked, puzzled. She was certain with the way things seemed to be heating up between them that they'd be together.

Jiya shook her head, "She was in the study downstairs when I found her. She told me where to find you two."

"I see." Lorena frowned slightly. She could have sworn that Lucy felt the same for Garcia as he did her. The way both of them lit up when discussing the past...

"Flynn said he was setting up the dining room for you three," Jiya continued, scanning through the documents.

"He asked that Rufus and I have dinner together, elsewhere." Jiya glanced up and winked at Rufus who always seemed to blue-screen when she did that.

So the three of them were to have dinner alone, this made more sense. Lucy was a smart woman who clearly preferred to be in control.

It would be good to get everything aired out before anything happened. Garcia and Lucy's feelings for each other ran deep, and Lorena had her own feelings for the woman, they may not be reciprocated as much as she would hope.

Well, as Lorena had said before, love is eternal, but it doesn't have to be singular. And Lorena would never deny Garcia his loves.

"Jiya," Rufus finally came back to his senses. "Do you know of where we can get some more tech? I think I can build a few things for Lorena to help study vampire-ology... ism?"

"Sure," she laughed.

"We can look into it before dinner."

"Great!" Rufus was a little too eager.

Well, between those two, and her, Garcia and Lucy... tonight's dinner should be interesting.

When Lorena entered the dining room, Lucy saw her and flushed red. Clearly  _ something _ had happened.

“I know Garcia is fond of you,” Lorena said calmly, to get everything out in the open. “I hope he told you I don’t mind.”

It was clearly not the answer Lucy had expected.

She looked down. “He... did.” Her voice was small, as if she hadn’t expected that to be true.

Lorena’s eyes narrowed. Someone, somewhere, had somehow convinced Lucy she wasn’t good enough to be valued. Lorena hoped to be allowed to help her learn otherwise.

“We– he said we should talk things out after dinner,” Lucy added.

“Ah.” Lorena poured them both wine, and smiled. “Then we’ll enjoy a quiet meal before weightier matters.”

The tinkle of breaking glass was followed by a violent  _ crash! _ from the front of the house.

She knew what it was. She’d heard it before. Nearly a century ago.

Someone was assaulting the front door.

She vaulted across the table to get between Lucy and the entrance to the front hall as Garcia charged in from the kitchen, apron contrasting with his blazing amber eyes.

“Jiya and Rufus–”

“I’ll get them. Get Lucy to the study,” Garcia ordered. “That was at least two windows.”

So intrusion at two points, and the front door under siege. Lorena picked Lucy up and ran for the study. She set her down gently. “Lock this behind me,” she ordered.

“Lorena–”

“Do it for me, please.”

Lucy sputtered, but closed the door. At the snick of the heavy lock, Lorena stalked to the wall and yanked down the medieval broadsword. She started for the front hall–

Jiya and Rufus sprinted in, hand-in-hand, clothes disarranged.

“Where’s Garcia?” Lorena demanded.

Jiya looked blank, then worried. “We didn’t see him.”

“Get to the study.” She and Garcia had known this might happen again one day. They were prepared. But Lucy, Rufus, Jiya–they were human. Vulnerable.

“Wait.” Jiya stepped forward.

The air near her hands shimmered, so subtly Rufus probably couldn’t see it. It spread and vanished through the walls. A moment, and Lorena heard shouts from the front.

“GARCIA!” she roared. She didn’t know how long Jiya could hold them.

Lorena was practically vibrating with anger at those that dared attack her home. The last time they had been unprepared, but this time… this time they were ready. She waited until Jiya and Rufus were secured in the study before heading out to find her husband. She could hear growls coming from the front entrance, but her keen hearing picked up footsteps from the top floor.She decided that she should deal with them first before helping Garcia. He could handle himself.

She was halfway up the stairs when the lights cut out. She rolled her eyes at that. She and Garcia were still capable of seeing just fine in the dark.

Once she reached the top the door to Jiya's room swung open and she swung the sword. Effectively cutting off the intruder's gun hand at the wrist. He would have screamed, but Lorena was quick to grip him up by the throat.

Her eyes flashed amber as she smelled the blood pouring from him. "Who are you? And why the FUCK are you in my house?"

The man didn't answer, mostly because Lorena didn't let up on her tight grip around his throat. But she took in his combat outfit… Rittenhouse.

There was no doubt about it. Only their twisted organization would bring an organized, fully-kitted assault team to a sleepy village where two vampires live a quiet life.

But this wasn't a time for questions. Rittenhouse or not, they had no right to invade their sanctuary like this. All Lorena could see was red.

A flick of the wrist and a sickening snap, she released the lifeless form of the intruder. Her head snapped up at the sound of boots, and with a feral cry, she swept up and drove her Ivanhoe into the second assailant without hesitation.

She took a moment to expand her senses. As long as she could hear her dear husband raining unholy hell on their other guests, she will defend her place here.

Meanwhile, Flynn was in the foyer, apron and hands covered in blood. Several bodies lay at his feet. A few with their throats ripped out. His eyes glowed amber as his senses were on full alert. He could hear Lorena on the top floor and fought against his instincts to run up and protect her. She could take care of herself. She'll be fine.

He looked towards the corner of the room where a young man, no older than twenty-five, tried his best to act dead. Flynn could smell his fear and hear his frantic heartbeats. He stalked towards him, unwilling to play such silly games.

The man–boy, really–let out a frightened yelp when Flynn lifted him up by the tactical vest he wore. "P-p-p-please, please spare me!" Flynn just glared at him. "Y-y-you mu-mu-must ha-have q-questions! I c-can a-answer t-them!" He stuttered.

Flynn glanced at the boy's dead comrades, "Rittenhouse?"

"YES!"

"Why?"

"To r-retrieve L-L-Lucy Pres-Preston. And k-kill e-everyo-one else."

Flynn lowered the scared young man to the ground, much to his relief. "Why?"

The boy suddenly looked nervous again. "We we-were only given th-those or-orders."

"Hmm." Flynn responded before he placed his hand at his throat and quickly crushed his neck. His lifeless body dropped to the floor.

Flynn stepped over him as he removed his ruined apron and wiped his hands on it. 'Did Lucy tip Rittenhouse off? Was she in on this?' He thought as he made his way inside the house. His gut told him he could trust Lucy, but Rittenhouse showing up after she practically ran away from him was too much of a coincidence to ignore.

He did a quick sweep of the first floor, making sure he didn't miss anyone when he felt the shift in the air. Jiya's wards had worn off. She had either used a simple spell or all the intruders must be dead. He could no longer hear anything from the top floor and for a brief moment he felt panic rise within him before he heard a low growl.

Lorena was alive. He made quick work of the distance. He took in the carnage on the top floor and smirked, Lorena had given them hell. He caught sight of her down the hall. She was feeding.

He walked over and lifted his sword off the ground. "Have fun, _ moja ljubav _ ?"

Before she could respond, they heard another loud crash. 

The crash was loud, but there was only one. He listened for intruders but heard none either. He did pick up the fast beating of Lucy's heart, as well as Jiya and Rufus. They were anxious, but not in duress.

"You're right," Lorena said as she stood, wiping blood from her face.

"Human blood is disgusting."

Flynn was glad she thought so, there was always the risk of a vamp becoming addicted.

"That last crash was the front salon." Flynn headed towards the room more modernly referred to as a living room.

They were cautious as they entered, Lorena still wielding her sword, Flynn still wearing the apron.

"There." Lorena pointed to the item. It was a military satellite phone. Tough enough to take the brunt of being thrown through the window.

It started to ring.

With speed, Flynn grabbed the phone and returned to a position away from the windows, any snipers line of sight.

Flynn answered, growling. "Why can't you leave me and my own alone?"

"Is that how you say hello to an old friend?" a familiar voice asked.

"... Nicholas."

"Ah, so you  _ do  _ remember me. I feel honored! You've had such a long life, my friend."

Flynn could hear the smile in Nicholas' voice, but he was too shocked to say anything about it. How was he… did Emma turn him? No. He knew Nicholas well enough to know he would have tried to kill him, had he been turned. He looked at Lorena, she looked just as shocked to hear the soldier's voice.

"I take it by your silence that I've surprised you. We  _ really  _ have to stop meeting like this, Garcia. Me ordering people to attack your house. You being surprised it's me. I am sure you have questions."

"How are you alive? Emma?"

Nicholas laughed, "As much as I love Emma, there's no way in hell I'm letting her turn me. And before you ask, she's not here. I thought it might be bad form to bring her along. I assume you're still upset about the last time?"

Flynn gripped the phone so tight that it started to crack. "Last time? You tried to kill my family, the last time!"

"I clearly wasn't successful enough. You're all still alive. How is sweet little Iris?"

Lorena and Flynn both growled at the mention of their daughter and

Nicholas chose to ignore it.

"Listen, Garcia. I'd love to catch up with you and Lorena, truly, it's been too long,  _ but  _ I have a plane to catch. So if you could just send Lucy out, we'll be on our way."

Lorena's eyes flashed amber and she shook her head at her husband. Lucy was  _ not  _ leaving this house. Especially if she was going to end up in Nicholas' clutches.

"This was all for Lucy, then?"

He could hear the frustration in Nicholas' voice when he spoke again, "She shouldn't even  _ be  _ here! Had I known this is where her mother was sending her, I never would have allowed it!" There was a pause. "She doesn't know anything, Garcia. Send her out, her mother is worried about her. She's innocent in all this."

"So was Iris." Flynn said just before he crushed the phone in his hands. He took an unnecessary deep breath before turning to his wife.

Lorena knew that look and was quick to latch onto his arm. "You can't go there. It might be a trap. Do  _ not  _ put me in a position to tell our daughter you died being an idiot."

He huffed and punched a hole in the wall to let out a little of his frustrations. "Fine… But what about Lucy? Do you think she knew about–"

"No." Lorena interrupted, "She didn't."

"You sound confident."

"She had mentioned an Uncle Nicholas. Maybe they are one and the same. She's been open with us."

Before he could speak another crash sounded. "What now?"

Garcia expanded his already heightened senses to where their guests and Jiya are, looking for anything to clue him in on their new intruders.

He was attuned to Rufus' and Lucy's heartbeats by now, and Jiya's is a familiar song to him and Lorena. So, when Garcia sensed only a few new heartbeats even when he detected the presence of a small platoon, he took Lorena by the wrist as they practically flew towards the study.

Undeads.

Lucy and Rufus were freaking out. Hearing the screams and apparent deaths of whoever was attacking the manor was worrisome, but they knew that the Flynns were keeping them safe. Jiya had tried to assure them that they were safe in the study.

Lucy couldn't figure out why, given how this particular study had two large bay windows. Rufus was in one corner with a letter opener as a weapon and hyperventilating. Jiya was trying to calm him down. It was  _ not  _ working.

Lucy, herself, had grabbed a candlestick, ready to beat someone should they get an unwanted visitor.

When the lights went out, Rufus screamed. When it quieted down, Jiya had slumped against a bookshelf, looking like  _ she  _ was the one that was defending the manor. It was quiet for such a long time that Lucy's concern for the Flynn's had grown tenfold. Where were they? Why weren't they in the study? Were they hurt?

Lucy needed answers. She had opened the door when someone crashed through a window. She turned to see two men with glowing yellow eyes growling at Jiya and Rufus.

More vampires. But something was off about them. They looked feral.

Rufus hauled Jiya to her feet, his body in front of hers, hoping at least she would be able to get out before the vamps attacked.

They snarled and licked their lips as if choosing who they would feed on first. These were the types of vampires Lorena had talked about. The kind that terrified Rufus to know existed. That he had no defense for.

The open door blew wide and Flynn rushed in. He knocked one immediately to the ground and latched onto the other.

Rufus huddled Jiya and Lucy together, afraid of the vampires but also wary of what might be outside in the hallway, waiting for them. At least here they had Flynn who seemed to be winning against the vampires. They might be feral, but Flynn was skilled.

Soon they were dispatched, laying in heaps on the floor. Flynn turned to them, his apron a little torn and covered in blood. "Are you okay? Have you been harmed?"

The three humans quickly shook their heads, all of them taking in the bloodied state of Flynn's appearance. Then of the sight of Lorena walking in with a bloody sword and an arm she must have sliced off of an intruder.

"Fucking newborns." Lorena growled at her husband.

Jiya wasn't unfamiliar with the sight of the Flynns violently protecting their own, but this was certainly new.

Lucy was slightly turned on by the sight of the attractive couple covered in blood, defending their home and in turn, her. She needed to get her libido in check.

Rufus, on the other hand, watched in horror as Lorena absent-mindedly chucked the arm away and it landed with a splat near him. He immediately lost his lunch.

"At least he missed the rug." Lorena sighed, knowing that this was clearly her fault.

Flynn grunted as he walked towards the broken window and looked out. He could clearly see a figure on top of a hill overlooking the manor.

The figure waved and Flynn growled. Nicholas. Behind him stood a few more people and their glowing eyes gave them away. More newborns. Probably innocents turned to make an army.

He wanted to run over and kill them all, but he couldn't leave his wife, his home, unprotected. A few newborns were manageable, but a small squad would certainly overwhelm Lorena.

A couple of the newborns rushed forward, but Nicholas held them back. He spoke to them and one of them rushed towards the manor while Nicholas and the other turned to walk away.

Flynn watched as the newborn scaled the manor and stopped just below the broken window, a feral look on his face. He looked no older than fifteen.

"Master says, until next time, old friend."

Flynn was quick to grab the boy by the collar. He lifted him towards his face. "You tell  _ him _ , that I look forward to it."

He looked inside the house and took in the bodies before nodding his understanding. He let out a scream when Flynn flung him out the window.

Flynn watched him land & run off.

Flynn remained by the broken window, letting his senses fan out for several minutes for any unwanted presence, before turning back to the room.

"All clear," he declared. "They won't be coming back any time soon. We're safe, for now."

"Yeah, until they come back meaner and hungrier," Rufus managed to say after spitting out the water from the bottle Jiya gave him into a nearby vase.

"That's a 17th century family heirloom," Flynn reminded him offhandedly.

Rufus choked on probably his own spit this time. "Sorry, man!" he said through his hands that covered his mouth.

Lorena let out a noiseless chuckle, her shoulders relaxing. When her gaze landed on Lucy, Flynn heard a low growl in her throat, too low that the three humans didn't even react.

As the adrenaline ebbed from his body, Flynn realized the reason for his wife's reaction: Lucy's heartbeat thrummed like a siren's call, and her scent was thick in the air.

Before he could even act on it, Lorena strode up to the hapless woman, took her shocked face in her hands and attacked Lucy's lips with hers.

"Holy. Shit."

Flynn barely registered Rufus' reaction as he rallied all his willpower to  _ not  _ to take both women then and there. He and Lorena didn't mind putting on a show, but Rufus and Lucy were still esteemed house-guests. And Jiya is family.

Just as he was considering fleeing the room before he snapped, Lorena drew back and lay her forehead against the smaller woman.

"I thought we'd lost you," she murmured.

As for Lucy, she could only gape at the woman in front of her, pupils blown wide, porcelain face smudged with the blood of their slain intruders.

Something thrummed in his belly, slowly crawling lower...

He cleared his throat. "We best clean up this mess. I'm not letting a petty little invasion ruin what I've prepared for dinner!"

Jiya's eyes bugged out and she scoffed, "You??? You made a  _ salad _ ! I'm the one that slaved away making a pot roast!"

"Not exactly what I'm hungry for..." Lucy murmured low enough for only Flynn and Lorena to hear.

Flynn glanced at the two women, still standing with their heads together. He felt his pants tighten and quickly lifted the two bodies off the ground. "Jiya go check on the food. If it's salvageable we'll eat together in the dining room. If not, then we'll go out to eat. Rufus… clean up your mess. Lorena and I will take care of the bodies."

"And me? What should I do?" Lucy asked, she hadn't moved away from Lorena and it was wreaking havoc on his self control.

"Make sure Rufus didn't ruin the vase… or that nothing too valuable was damaged?"

He made a hasty retreat when Lucy placed another kiss on Lorena's lips.

With their otherworldly hosts mostly taking on the job of getting rid of the bodies, cleanup was done in no time. They were so quick about it that the Flynns managed to give a hand for the more mundane task of clearing and doing minor repairs.

"I guess that oughta do it?" Rufus asked nobody in particular, dusting his hands as Flynn made finishing touches to attaching a makeshift cover on the last broken window.

"Yes. I'll make the call tomorrow," Flynn volunteered.

"What would you tell them if they ask what happened?" Rufus wondered.

"He won't. Jure and his family have known us for, uh, decades. He knows not to ask."

"So this village actually knows you two..."

Flynn shrugged. "They do and they mostly don't care."

"Because we know how to coexist with humans, and they saw no harm in that," Lorena put in.

It amused Flynn to see Rufus' eyes pop out of their sockets at every revelation. It made Jiya giggle like the little girl that they remembered. A rare occasion.

"Why don't you two check on what's still edible for dinner?" she suggested to Jiya and Rufus. "I'll need a shower," she added, gesturing to Flynn and Lucy, whose clothes were bloodied courtesy of Lorena.

"Gotcha." Jiya began tugging Rufus towards the kitchen. "Don't take too long, yeah? I know how you hate your meat being too well done," she reminded them with a glint in her eye.

Flynn groaned with a roll of his eyes. "Just go, brat!"

Rufus merely looked at them curiously, but let himself get dragged away.

Lorena looked down at the coagulating liquid on her clothes, picking at it with a grimace.

She looked to Flynn. "You're joining me," she said succinctly, heading for the baths.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered gamely and bounced on his toes.

Lorena turned back to them, eyes shimmering whitish gold. "Both of you." She sauntered away, the roll of her hips more pronounced than usual.

Flynn felt all his senses sing, buoyed further at hearing Lucy's heart thrum erratically. Seeing Lucy's eyes all black, all rhyme and reason plunged south.

"It was not a request,  _ draga _ ," Flynn pointed out in a ragged murmur, holding out his hand. He smirked at Lucy. Surely, she'd understand what he thought of Lorena's order.

She mirrored Flynn's crooked grin and placed her hand in his larger one, then pulled him to her, bloodied clothes and all. The shock and her boldness made his senses sing harder.

She ran a delicate fingertip on the skin exposed by the open collar before laying her hand on his chest and drawing close.

"As long as you save me some hot water."

Flynn's grin was downright animalistic as he whispered, "We'll make sure you're  _ very clean _ way before the hot water runs out."

Lucy's lips crashed with Flynn's as she tried her best to devour his lips. Flynn bent to lift her in his arms, never breaking contact. Lucy felt a gust of wind and opened her eyes. They were no longer in the study, but in the master suite. Lorena had stripped to her underwear and watching the two of them from the open door. "Started without me, I see. Don't keep me waiting." She then turned into the large bathroom.

Lucy could see her in the mirror, stripping her undergarments off. Her mouth went dry at the sight as Flynn placed her on her feet again. He smiled down at her.

"Join us when you're ready." He stalked to the bathroom, ripping his shirt over his head.

In the mirror, Lucy could see him lift Lorena into his arms and kiss her. She heard the shower door open and then they disappeared from view. She took a breath. She wanted this. Them. And they wanted her.

Easiest decision she's made in a very long time. She closed the bedroom door and walked towards the bathroom. She could hear moans and giggling coming from inside.

They opened the shower door for her when she walked in. 

"Join us, won't you?"

  
  


_ [Bonus scene] _

“Join us, won’t you?” Flynn asked and Lucy had to smile at the irony. Isn’t it usually vampires who have to be the ones invited in?

Lucy unconsciously bit her lip, looking at the scene before her. The water not yet flowing, both Flynn and Lorena were naked, the woman pushed up against the shower wall, him pressed against her. They had been kissing, on the lips and down the neck and breasts, she could tell by the blood trails that they left and oh did that do something to Lucy that she did not want to think about in the moment. 

She would, just not while staring at two beautiful people and not knowing if she wanted to be pinned by Flynn or be the one pinning Lorena.

Oh well, she’d be doing neither if she simply stood there. So she stripped off her clothes at a moderate pace. Not slowly because she was impatient, but she loved how their eyes tracked her movements and would flash ever so slightly as she revealed herself to them. 

They wanted to reach for her, but no, this had to be her decision. She had to come to them, to show that yes, she wanted this, and they were not putting any undue influence on her. 

Once she passed the threshold of the shower, they touched her, pulling her in between them. Lucy thought they'd ravage her on the spot, but they kept their caresses light, exploring. Garcia was a solid mass in front of her and Lorena soft against her back.

He captured Lucy's face in his large hands, eyes softly glowing and reverent. He wiped some of the grime from her face as he watched her. And, just as reverently, he kissed her forehead, each eyelid, her nose, and then captured her waiting lips.

Behind her, Lorena was petting her hair, while the fingers on her other hand traced patterns from Lucy's shoulders down to her arm.

Lucy felt like she was literally being lit on fire where they touched her. Garcia held the back of her head while two fingers on his other hand trailed slowly down her neck and along her collarbones even as he continued kissing her.

As the heat continued to simmer, Lucy couldn't hold back her moan, which was echoed by twin growls from the Flynns as Garcia plunged his tongue into her mouth, making her groan louder. Even Lorena's ministrations ventured further, down Lucy's spine, then her abdomen.

Lucy was breathing hard now. She hadn't even been touched where she wanted to be touched, she feared this might push her over the edge...

Garcia pulled back from plundering her lips, making her whimper. He tilted his head, letting his lips graze her cheek, licking a path towards her ear.

"I did mention you'll get really clean before the hot water runs out, didn't I?" he rasped against her ear. "We want to taste you."

His voice is sin, his words and his implications making her shudder violently.

"Yes, we do," Lorena whispered from behind as she veered Lucy's face to her with light fingers, taking her mouth with hers.

Garcia had occupied himself with kissing her cheek, which was doing the job of cleaning the blood from her face.

"Her other cheek needs some attention," Garcia suggested.

Lorena released Lucy's lips soundly. "Of course,  _ dragi moje _ ." And she did so, kissing and licking from the back of her ear to her left cheek.

Lucy dug her nails into Flynn’s shoulders, trying to just hold on as they cleaned the blood from her, their teeth occasionally scraping across her sensitive skin. It made her groan, heat pooling down below. She pressed her legs together, both wishing that one of them would do something about the ache between them, but she also didn’t want them to stop what they were doing. It could drive a woman mad. They haven't even ventured to the places where Lucy desperately wanted their hands and mouths on.

“Lucy,” Flynn’s gravelly voice was thicker than usual. 

Realizing she had closed her eyes, she opened them to see Flynn’s had gone completely black, lust and desire evident on his face. Glancing over her shoulder, Lorena’s eyes were the same as she licked at her bright red lips.

“You can always say no,” he told her.

“My safe-word is Gettysburg.” Lucy smirked at him.

Flynn captured her lips in another hungry and bruising kiss just as those beautiful hands finally ventured to her breasts, capturing the each bosom fully in his hands. Lucy couldn't help the guttural moan against Garcia's lips. Lorena didn't keep idle, either, as she peppered kisses up and down her spine, while her hands ran up the length of Lucy's supple body.

Garcia started massaging her, scraping her nipples delicately with his fingernails. Her hips undulated against his solid form.

"Yes, G-Garcia! M-more," Lucy pleaded against the assault of that wonderful mouth.

She felt more than saw his grin, just as he fondled her in earnest. Electricity jolted from her nipples down to her core at each pass of his fingers, the current mounting as he toyed at them, flicking them with strong fingers.

"So sensitive," he uttered with a growl as he nosed under her jaw.

Lorena’s right hand managed to slide between Lucy and Flynn, gently caressing through the soft hair before finding her folds. Two slim, strong fingers slid in and began to attack Lucy’s pleasure center.

A moan that was almost a scream erupted from Lucy’s throat. She turned her head and searched for Lorena’s. The woman began to kiss Lucy with the same eagerness she displayed in getting her off.

Lucy felt Flynn’s mouth on her breasts, sucking at the nipple and rolling it between his teeth. She shuddered and bucked her hips. Lucy realized she hadn’t actually got a real look at Flynn’s ‘goods’ but she could feel it hard against her thigh and damnit if she didn’t need that between her legs right now, a hard, thick compliment to Lorena’s deft pleasuring. 

“You are so beautiful, and smart, and amazing,” Flynn punctuated every word with a kiss down her body as he sunk to his knees. 

Lorena moved her hand and Lucy moaned at the loss. But then Flynn took her right leg and gently lifted it over his shoulder. Lucy’s eyes went directly to his, seeing him down between her legs, looking hungry. The sheer desire emanating from him turned Lucy into jelly so it was a good thing Lorena was holding her up. 

“Do you know what you do to me?” Flynn kissed the inside of her thigh. “To us?”

These two supernatural creatures of strength and power were worshiping her, were helpless in her presence, and holy shit did that realization sit like liquid hot magma in her belly.

Flynn kissed up her thigh and nuzzled against her curls, breathing her in. His tongue flicked out and teased her. Lucy groaned with impatience, she wanted to feel that against her… in her. The sheer anticipation could drive her mad.

Very deliberately, Flynn moved in, lapping his tongue against her, tasting the juices that were distinctly her. A single finger slid up her folds and Lucy shuddered, whining unabashedly. 

“How long have you wanted this?” Lorena’s voice was hot and low in her ear. “How many nights did you dream of this?”

“I… I couldn’t count them,” Lucy admitted, her breath catching as Flynn started to lick slowly but steadily.

“We couldn’t count either.” Lorena chuckled, caressing Lucy’s breasts. “The things we wanted to do with you… to you…”

Flynn sped up, lapping at her now, chasing her sensitive areas with his sharp tongue. Then that single finger traced down her folds again and fuck fuck fuck… her body jerked and her own fingers slid through Flynn’s hair, gripping the dark feathered locks hard.

“We can hear your heartbeat,” Lorena said as she nuzzled against Lucy’s pulse point, nibbling the skin ever so lightly. Lucy had a flash of seeing Lorena or Flynn, or both, biting down and drawing blood, and it made her whole body tremble in a way that was very  _ very _ good… which it honestly shouldn’t. That was a thought for later.

“We can smell your desire,” Lorena continued, rolling Lucy’s nipples with her fingers even as Flynn picked up his pace, licking Lucy with gusto, his fingers starting to work their way inside. “Even when you thought you were hiding it, we knew it was there. Do you know how many times we had to stop ourselves from bending you over the table and taking you?”

Lucy shuddered, a deep groan escaping her as Flynn began to pump two fingers inside her. It was a welcome release to her desire but she needed more. He began to suck at her pleasure point, his tongue still relentless. Her hips bucked as she tightened her grasp on his hair. Lorena bit down on her neck, hard, not enough to break skin, but it sent a shock of pleasure down Lucy’s spine and she let out a scream of pleasure, not pain. 

There were just so many sensations going at once. Flynn alternating between lapping her up and sucking down hard, slipping in a third finger to really give her some stretch and fullness. Lorena wouldn’t stop playing with her breasts, pinching her nipples, not that Lucy would ask her to stop. 

“That’s it, Lucy,” Lorena cooed in her ear, her voice thick with desire. “Let go, you can have this, you can have us…”

Lorena held on when Lucy doubled over as her orgasm overtook her, her whole body trembling. She gripped Flynn’s hair so tight she might have been afraid she’d trip it out if she could think of anything other than his tongue licking up her juices as she came hard. He then used his thumb to rub her down, keep her in those pleasant aftershocks before then soothing her out of her orgasm.

“Damn,” Lucy said breathlessly, managing to extract her fingers from Flynn’s hair as he gently put her leg back down.

“This is just the beginning,” Lorena told her as she let Lucy rest against her.

Flynn stood, his face a mess of her juices, his hair all sticking up from where Lucy held him. He looked so damn pleased and smug. But then, he’d had  _ years _ of practice, didn’t he? Lucy bit her lip thinking of all the things both he and Lorena must be well versed in after all this time.

“How does she taste?” Lorena asked, a smirk in her voice.

“Divine.” Flynn moved forward and kissed his wife who lapped up Lucy’s juices from his lips and chin.

Lucy was still caught between them and their hands roamed her body, not leaving her out as they took pleasure from the evidence of her pleasure. Flynn’s cock was hard against her thigh and holy shit did she want to ride that into next Tuesday.

Flynn moved from kissing Lorena to kissing Lucy, capturing her breath in a searing kiss before resting his forehead on her head. “Tell us what you want,  _ draga _ .”

“Whatever you desire,” Lorena was kissing lightly across Lucy’s shoulders.

“I…” there were so many things Lucy could say, some of which were probably illegal in Utah, but they did promise Jiya and Rufus they would eat with them, returning some normalcy to the manor. If Flynn’s tongue left her this exhausted, she’d probably need a very long nap after seeing what his hips could do. Luckily there was something she’d been wanting to do that would accommodate the situation. “I want to watch you two.”

Flynn’s eyes flashed and Lorena shivered behind her. 

There was enough stability back in Lucy’s legs that she leaned against the wall of the shower so she could watch the two criminally gorgeous people. Lucy never really thought of herself as a voyeur but when Lorena braced her hands against the wall, Flynn behind her, sliding one hand down between her legs and the other to her throat, tipping her head back over his shoulder as she moaned… well… 

“You’re wet and ready,” Flynn commented, nibbling at her neck.

“Lucy’s moans were intoxicatingly delightful.” Lorena glanced over at her, biting her lip as she couldn’t wait to take her turn between Lucy’s legs. Lucy couldn’t wait either, so maybe something for tonight, after dinner…

Flynn slid himself into Lorena who gave out a moan that Lucy felt in her belly. With practiced ease, Flynn began to thrust, sharp and precise, each one punctuated by a groan emanating from the back of Lorena’s throat. He grabbed her hips, rolling his own in a fast, near hypnotic pattern, driving deep and with gusto.

Fuck, Lucy had been right, she’d be lucky if she could walk after such treatment, but it would be so worth it.

The two glanced over at her and their eyes flashed again, trailing down her body. Lucy’s hand had drifted between her legs, touching her already sensitive spot, getting off on watching them go at it. Lorena dropped one hand from the tile to between her legs, rubbing in time with Lucy. Within seconds they were locked in a rhythm of pleasure, each in tune with the other, speeding up at a steady pace.

Lorena fell first, orgasm ripping through her body. Flynn followed, two quick thrusts and then spilling himself inside her, his body trembling in a way Lucy could feel. Lucy’s breath caught as she gave herself a nice little orgasm to compliment the one Flynn’s tongue had supplied. 

Flynn held out his hand and Lucy took it, getting pulled flush against his chest as he kissed her deeply. His body was hot and sweaty, heaving from his release. Yes, she was definitely going to have her way with him tonight. 

The water turned on, but Flynn blocked most of it until it got up to temperature. Something around room temp because they were all flushed and hot. 

“You are so beautiful,” Flynn mumbled reverently as he pulled back to let her walk under the spray to wet her hair. His eyes flitted to Lorena. “How have I been blessed with two such beautiful, smart, amazing women?”

“Is he always like this after sex?” Lucy asked Lorena with a cheeky grin.

“He’s a cuddler,” Lorena laughed, offering Lucy the shampoo. 

“Snuggler,” he corrected with a little pout. “There is a difference.”

The women chuckled, then pulled him in under the spray with them. They helped each other clean up, Flynn giving the best scalp massage Lucy had ever had in any professional salon. 

Lucy wasn’t sure exactly how she found herself in this situation, being with two people who adored her as much as they did each other. Who by all rights should hate her because of her family but would do anything for her. Who were honest to goodness supernatural creatures, vampires, and shouldn’t even exist.

But now that was here, with them… she was never letting them go.


	3. Interlude **Explicit**

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brace yourselves as you're being thrown into the deep end.
> 
> And remember to hydrate. ^^

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is exclusively written by RedGold.
> 
> Fanart by the ever-lovely TheaLocksly.

They spent dinner talking and making some preliminary plans on how to deal with Nicolas and Rittenhouse. When they finished it wasn’t really all that late, but Rufus was clearly in need of a nice, long sleep. He and Jiya headed off, leaving Lucy standing in the study with Flynn and Lorena.

They said they could hear her heart, but right now she swore she could hear theirs. There was an energy in the room, a kind of magnetism that drew her towards the supernatural couple. She would almost think they were hypnotizing her, but if you can think that thought, then you aren’t under a spell, right? That’s how that works?

No matter, they made her feel treasured, and desired. 

Lucy was kissing Flynn and she could taste the bourbon on his lips. Then it was Lorena with cognac on hers. Two sets of hands were all over her body, flooding her senses as Flynn scrapped his teeth down her neck causing Lucy to shudder.

There was a momentary disorientation and then Lucy was in the Flynns’ bedroom. She glanced over at the bed… their bed… _their_ bed?

“We can slow down,” Flynn offered when he realized where Lucy’s attention was.

“Or perhaps a change of scenery?” Lorena suggested.

“No… I…” Lucy wanted this. She enjoyed their romp in the shower and her body was aching because she’d been thinking about the thrust of Flynn’s hips for the past hour. But a shower isn’t a bed—a marriage bed—and it was starting to hit her, what was happening. “This isn’t your first time, is it? To have another lover?”

“We’ve lived a long time, Lucy,” Flynn told her softly, brushing back her hair. “We’ve never been indiscriminate with our lovers, but we’ve had them… though none quite as captivating as you.”

“You’re no mere fling,” Lorena added, nuzzling her neck. “We will gladly slow down, take this at a pace you desire.”

“We don’t want to hurt you.” Flynn somehow managed to look up at her under his lashes despite being a head taller than her. “You are worth doing this right.”

Lucy’s thoughts were aflutter, same as her stomach, but she did need to step back a moment and decide what she wanted. Flynn and Lorena pulled away enough to let her know she was in charge, she could walk out the door if she wanted. They respected her as much as they desired her and it was a rush. She couldn’t remember the last time a lover put her first.

Again, these supernatural creatures were bowing to her control and that thought was nearly intoxicating. 

“Don’t move,” Lucy commanded as she reached back to unzip her dress enough so it could fall to the floor. Their eyes flashed amber with desire but they held still. She then unhooked her bra and tossed it to the side. 

With a bit of sway in her hips, Lucy walked over to the bed. Kicking off her heels, she climbed across the brocaded cloth and sat herself in the middle of the soft mattress, propped up by the headboard. She let both her arms spread and rest over the pillows like a queen. Flynn’s hands twitched at his sides and he licked his lips. Lorena was biting hers.

“Lorena,” Lucy smiled devilishly at the woman, “I believe to have forgotten to remove my underwear, would you please take care of that?”

“Yes, Lucy,” she said breathlessly, moving forward. The woman crawled up the bed like a panther, ready to strike and devour Lucy. Lorena kissed the ankle of Lucy’s left foot, then slowly nuzzled her way up the inside of Lucy’s leg.

“You…” now Lucy’s chest was heaving, “you said you could hear my heart?”

“Yes, Lucy,” Flynn answered, his voice low and thick. 

Lucy looked up at him, his eyes flashing amber again as he licked his lips. He wanted her, but she told him not to move. So he watched as Lorena nudged Lucy’s legs apart so she could make little love bites up her inside thigh. Lucy whimpered.

With deft hands, Lorena grabbed the edges of Lucy’s underwear and tugged them down, Lucy lifting her hips to aid in their removal. Now she was naked before them again. 

Her heart was beating fast and there was so much slick heat between her legs she thought she might come just by the looks on their faces. These two creatures of power were obeying her command. 

“Are you hungry, Lorena?” Lucy smirked.

“Very,” she grinned back.

“Then take your fill,” Lucy told her, then her eyes flicked to Flynn, “while you watch.”

“You are a wicked woman,” it wasn’t a reproach from Flynn. 

Their eyes stayed locked as Lorena nuzzled at Lucy’s heat, breathing her in. The woman started slow, little licks here and there to tease her into a mess. Lucy groaned her frustration while being secretly—or not so secretly—pleased with Lorena’s handiwork. 

Lucy’s jaw dropped into a pant as Lorena began to work her way between Lucy’s folds, sharpening her tongue against her most sensitive parts. As she slid two slim fingers up into Lucy, she wanted to close her eyes and throw her head back. 

But Flynn held her with his gaze, his body barely controlled, watching her get slowly taken apart. His hands flexed as if he was trying not to rush forward, something akin to a growl or purr coming from his throat.

Lorena picked up the pace, sensing that Lucy had been teased enough and needed to be pushed over that cliff. A silent scream erupted from Lucy as she came, unable to look away from Flynn who was licking his lips as if waiting his turn. 

“You’re right,” Lorena said as she sat up, running her fingertips across her lips, “she’s delectable.”

“Am I?” Lucy managed to turn her gaze to Lorena. The woman was grinning wickedly, though flushed and flustered as much as Lucy was. 

Lucy crooked her finger and Lorena obeyed, moving up and leaving light kisses across Lucy’s sweat slick body. Then she was tasting herself on Lorena’s lips, pressing together as hands roamed. Too impatient to remove Lorena’s clothes, Lucy slid her hand down the front of the woman’s trousers and found her hot and wet.

It didn’t take long to get Lorena to the edge. She buried her face against Lucy’s neck, biting lightly as Lucy rubbed her mercilessly. Lorena threw her head back and came, Lucy regretting not removing her top earlier because she wanted to fondle Lorena’s breasts with her mouth. 

Pulling her hand from Lorena, Lucy began to attack the woman’s blouse. As she fussed with the buttons and pushed it back over her shoulders, they continued their hungry kisses. An inhuman noise came from Flynn, he was still standing, watching. His pants were clearly straining and he looked so very hungry, licking his lips again, maddeningly slow. 

Lucy and Lorena shared a look. They sat up and moved towards the end of the bed. 

“Come here,” Lucy commanded and he was more than willing.

Flynn sunk to his knees on the bed in front of them. He pulled them both close but kissed Lucy first, hard and passionate as they tugged at his burgundy top. And then when she needed air, he attacked Lorena’s lips with just as much fervor. Lucy scraped her teeth across his neck and he shuddered.

They worked to rid him of the shirt, pulling it over his head. Flynn’s scar was plainly visible this time, the angles had been different in the bathroom, plus he had been on his knees for most of it. There was a flicker of something… self-doubt perhaps? Was he self-conscious about it after all this time?

Lucy leaned down and kissed the bottom edge of the scar given to Flynn by her family, which nearly killed him… had killed him. And as if she could make it disappear through sure will alone, she moved up the scar, kissing him reverently. When she finally looked him in the eyes again, there was something different there this time, barely masked by his desire… love perhaps? Must be a trick of the light.

She averted her gaze by focusing on his trousers, getting him unbuckled and unzipped. Now that she had a clear look at his goods… she nearly drew blood biting her lip.

“You get used to it,” Lorena teased and Flynn gave her a glare marred by his laugh lines.

Lucy was feeling flush again. “Um, I know we’ve already done a lot, but we should probably slow down talk about condoms and stuff.”

“We’re vampires, Lucy,” Flynn said, his voice more gravelly than usual. “We don’t carry any viruses or diseases, we can’t.”

That made sense, but there was another issue on Lucy’s mind and Lorena already had the answer. “And he can’t get you pregnant, not without a heavy dose of Katya’s magic. And even then, it was a miracle our daughter was born.”

“Oh.” Lucy nodded, taking this new information in.

“But if it would make you more comfortable,” Flynn added, “one of us can go quickly get some.”

Lucy was sure she could trust them, felt it in her bones, but she’d trusted before and got burned, badly. Her surety warred with her trauma reflex.

“I’ll be right back,” Lorena said as she grabbed her tossed shirt. “You two get comfy.”

Lorena was off in a flash of supernatural speed. Flynn stood up just enough to shimmy out of his trousers. He crawled back onto the bed and ran his hand softly across her jawline.

“We can stop any time you like, Lucy,” he told her and she could hear the seriousness in his voice, plain as day. “You don’t need to explain, or give a reason, just say no.”

“My safe word is Hindenburg,” she mumbled against his palm. 

Flynn chuckled lightly. “Mine is Houdini.”

Lucy did a mental double take. “Houdini? Why?”

“Let’s just say him, me, and Doyle… did not part on good terms.”

“Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?” Lucy’s eyes widened. She knew Houdini and Doyle had been unlikely friends who fell out with each other pretty spectacularly. 

“It’s a long story,” Lorena said as she appeared beside them. “Would you rather hear it now… or later?”

Lucy actually debated the pros and cons of hearing the story, or riding Flynn’s dick. The latter won out when Flynn moved forward and began to kiss along her neck. Two sets of hands started to caress her as Lorena laid light kisses down her spine. Flynn’s fingers dipped between her thighs to once again work her into a lather.

“On your back,” Lucy ordered him once she’d had enough teasing.

Flynn complied, laying down comfortably in the middle of the bed. Lorena handed Lucy a condom from a newly opened box. Lucy paused for a moment, but only because she couldn’t believe it. Not that she was having sex with two people at the same time. Not that those two people were vampires. But that they were putting her feelings first, even if they may seem silly or impractical.

After kissing Lorena long and slow for Flynn to see, she took the condom and rolled it over his maddeningly large cock. She loved being on top, and the fact Flynn hadn’t even argued it with her, like some other men she could name, furthered her intoxication with the moment. 

Lucy sunk down onto him, a moan escaping her lips as he filled her. Soft noises of delight escaped from Flynn and she couldn’t wait to hear him call out her name as he came undone.

“Do you know how hot you two look right now,” Lorena said in her ear, her hands reaching around to caress Lucy’s breasts, rolling her nipples through her fingers.

“Just wait.” Lucy grinned wickedly and began to move, rocking her hips against him slowly at first so she could adjust to his girth. 

Flynn’s hands travelled up her legs and hips, rubbing his thumbs against her. She started to pick up the pace, leaning forward and bracing both hands on the bed. Lorena had to let go of Lucy’s breasts but kissed down her spine. 

“Lucy,” Flynn moaned softly, his hips finding rhythm with hers. 

She rewarded his cock a hard squeeze. He growled something inhuman and bucked up against her. Lucy took it as an invitation and started to let loose, not holding back as she often found herself doing with others. She didn’t need to placate Flynn with a semblance of control for his ego’s sake.

He cursed something in Croatian and her name poured from his lips like honey as she unrelentingly moved against him. Flynn was so powerful, she could feel it in the press of his fingers on her hips and the coil of his muscles. Most others would have flipped her by now and she relished the control.

“Lu-cy,” his words became stuttered and she could feel him coil tighter.

Normally she’d start to touch herself, to tip herself over that edge with her partner. But Lorena had snaked her hand between them and was giving a girl a hand. Lucy trembled at her deft touch and turned her attention to the other woman. Lorena looked absolutely wrecked watching them. Was this how Lucy looked watching both of them in the shower earlier?

Lucy craned her neck so she could kiss Lorena who attacked her lips as fiercely as she rubbed her clit. 

“Luuuucy.” Flynn’s breath was short, his thrusts hard, deep and fast. He was holding back, not coming until she did. She could count on one hand the amount of times a man had done that for her.

“Fuck.” Lucy tore her mouth from Lorena and arched her back, driving her hips down onto him as she came, her whole body liquid fire.

Flynn buried himself deep and came, snapping like a coil coming undone. “Oh… Lucy…”

She found she did quite like the sound of her name when Flynn said it.

Lucy collapsed onto Flynn who instantly wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her devastatingly softly in stark comparison to his hard thrusts. Running his hand through her hair, he muttered in Croatian as if he was saying some kind of prayer. Lorena was gently caressing down Lucy’s back, and Lucy had never felt such care and love before in the arms of a lover.

Of lovers. 

Lucy kissed Lorena, playfully thanking her. “I think you deserve another orgasm.”

“Do I?” Lorena said suggestively, a laugh on her lips.

“Well, that, or you can tell me why Flynn’s safe word is Houdini?”

Lorena grinned wickedly. “Shall I get the handcuffs?”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [#FlynnFriday imagine](https://twitter.com/thalia_msr/status/1261197864438562817): Lorena invites an old friend to stay at the manor to protect their guest after the attack. She and Flynn have to inform the Village Elders and Stiv of the threat Rittenhouse poses.

Lucy woke up earlier than she would have liked to, but someone was gently caressing her cheek and calling her name.

"Lucy..."

She opened her eyes to find Flynn propped up on one arm, looking down at her with the softest expression.

"Hey," she smiled, leaning up to kiss him. 

It had only been one night but she felt as if she had always been here, caught in Flynn's embrace... both Flynns.

Lorena kissed along Lucy's shoulder. "As tempting it is to stay here and continue where we left off... there is much to do."

Flynn reluctantly pulled away. "They will be back," he replied gravely. "We must prepare."

"Yes," Lucy agreed, trying not to let guilt rise in her. This was her family coming after people she cared about... loved.

She wasn't going to let them be taken from her now that she found them.

"I have to go into town. Inform the others." Flynn sighed heavily.

Lucy looked between the two, "There's more of you, here?"

"No. But the Village Elders know about us. You've met one already. Kata, the cafe owner." Lorena answered, still kissing Lucy's shoulder and ignoring her husband’s attempts to get her out of bed.

Lucy let that sink in for a moment. A confused look crosses over her face, "But Kata's memory is only so-so. What exactly can she do?"

Flynn and Lorena shared amused looks before softly laughing. Now Lucy was _more_ confused.

"Lucy, Kata is a very powerful witch. She's sharp as a whip. I assure you, the frail old woman routine is just an act." Lorena explained as she finally got out of bed.

Lucy sat up in the bed, head resting on the back board as she watched the Flynns walk around their bedroom. Both naked.

She could very well get used to this. She watched them get dressed in silence, mind elsewhere as she thought about all the people in this small village. "How many Elders are there?"

"Six. They all belong to the original families that built this village." Flynn answered. "Last I spoke to them, I had to beg Lucian not to kill Stiv for deflowering his granddaughter."

Lorena laughed, but Flynn was less than amused at the situation his maker had put him in. Stiv was on a temporary ban from the village, but that hadn't really stopped him. Not until Kata had gotten involved and put up wards to prevent him from entering the village at all.

"That man is a nuisance..." Flynn grumbled, knowing he'd have to speak with him about Rittenhouse as well.

"You still love him." Lorena teased with a smirk.

Flynn just grunted. Downplaying the obvious love he had for his maker. "I need to call him. Rittenhouse is as much a threat to him as they are to us." He sighed once more, it was going to be a long day.

"How about I go with you to visit the Elders? They like me." Lorena offered as she finished getting dressed.

He smiled at her, "Everyone likes you, Lorena. But I think that would be best." He looked over at Lucy, sitting in their bed, and smiled.

Her arms were stretched across their pillows, hands lightly gripping on to the bars on the headboard. The sheet fell just below her breast. A far off look on her face.

He really didn't want to leave and from the way Lorena was practically salivating at the sight of Lucy, he knew she was thinking the same.

"We can't leave them unprotected." Lorena practically whispered, slowly moving her eyes from Lucy's tempting body.

"Karl's still in America. Is there anything we trust around?"

"There's one person...but you're not going to like it." Lorena smiled up at her husband.

Flynn narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her, "Who is it?"

"Dave."

Flynn's eyes flashed and his nostrils flared. "I will NOT have that thief in my house."

Lucy was startled out of her thoughts at Flynn's raised voice. She tuned back into the conversation, suddenly interested in this thief.

Lorena rolled her eyes, "He didn't steal it, Garcia. He drank a bottle of wine."

"You're upset about one bottle of wine?" Lucy asked, amused at Flynn's defensive demeanor.

Flynn looked down right offended, "It wasn’t just A bottle of wine. It was a 1945 Romanee Conti. One of the most expensive wines in the world. And he drank it because he was thirsty! What kind of animal, does that?"

"Clearly, an animal with good taste." Lucy heaved out a breath, impressed. The other two followed the motion of her chest.

Garcia cleared his throat. "Lucy, _dragi moje _. It's best that you get ready as well. Otherwise, we will have our way with you, and we will not get anything done."

The gentle reminder spoken in a lovely rasp only stirred Lucy's blood more. Never had she had any partner be affected by her this way. It's... intoxicating.

She rubbed her thighs to ease the pleasant discomfort, making both her lovers growl and their eyes glow beautifully.

"Minx," Lorena grunted, chucking a clean one of her clean blouses her way. "We'll get you for that."

"Later," Garcia growled. A promise.

Lucy mirrored their wicked expressions. "Later."

  
Meanwhile, Rufus was standing in the entry hall of the manor, a far off look in his eye that was anything but pleasant.

"Hey," Jiya came up beside him, softly putting a hand on his arm, "are you okay?"

"No, not really," he admitted truthfully. "Yesterday we were attacked by humans and baby vamps. I know the Flynns saved us but if there were more of them, I don't think they could have taken them."

"You're right," Jiya didn't argue. "But we can't be afraid."

"We have to prepare." Rufus took a deep breath. "We have to be able to protect ourselves."

Rufus was already drawing up schematics in his head for a weapon based on the information Lorena had shown him. Something powerful enough to take down a vampire, but also small enough to be portable.

"I'll think of something," he muttered as he followed her into the kitchen to help her make breakfast.

Twenty minutes later, Lucy, Lorena and Flynn made their way into the dining room. The three of them practically fused together.

Rufus watched them for a moment and noticed a glow on Lucy. Oh...OH! "You had sex." He said, stopping everyone from eating.

Jiya gave him a confused look. "You didn't notice they had sex yesterday before we had dinner?"

"I was a little preoccupied," he mumbled back.

"Lorena and I need to go and speak to some elders," Flynn told him. "I don't think Nicolas will attack again so soon, but just in case, an old friend of Lorena's will be here shortly to help keep guard."

"Old friend as in..." Rufus pointed to his neck.

"Human," Lorena said with a smirk. "But he knows about vampires. And he owes us one."

Flynn grumbled something about wine that Rufus didn't quite get.

"Speaking of protection," Rufus decided best to be transparent about his plans. "How would you feel about me using your research to build some kind of anti-vampire weapon?"

Lorena pursed her lips into a thin line, glanced at her husband who nodded slightly.

"If living through so many wars has taught us, it's that someone will always build a bigger weapon. It was only a matter of time before someone built one for use against us. I think I would prefer it to be done by someone we trust."

"You... trust me?" Rufus wasn't sure why that surprised him.

"We trust Jiya," Flynn explained, "and she trusts you."

"Oh." Rufus looked over at her and tried to smile but it came out awkward, like the dork he is.

Jiya simply smiled back, like she found it endearing. 

They continued breakfast in relative silence. Rufus was staring at the trio across from him, not sure how he felt about the possibility of Lucy getting her heartbroken by _two_ lovers. Two VAMPIRE lovers.

Lucy pointedly ignored Rufus while she ate. Lorena, on the other hand, was staring full force back at him. He didn't look to be judging Lucy, but he was thinking SOMETHING that put Lorena on edge.

Flynn was in the middle of a conversation with Jiya when his phone chirped. Indicating a text message.

It was from one of the Elders, Vladimir: _2 hours._

"Dave should be here in fifteen," Lorena said, checking her own messages. "Let's get these dishes put away."

They cleared up from breakfast and somehow Rufus found himself cornered by Lorena in the hallway.

"If this is about the weapon..."

"No," she cut him off. "I just saw how you were looking at us with Lucy. I thought you'd be a more understanding gentleman."

"Huh? Oh! No, I don't care if three people wanna get together, it's just..." Rufus sighed. "Lucy got her heart hurt, bad. It was long enough ago that I know this isn't rebound, but that just means she's more susceptible to getting hurt even worse."

Lorena's expression softened. "Garcia and I... we've had our hearts hurt in the past before. And broken a few, but never intentionally. That is why we learned to be open and sincere with our emotions."

"Yeah, well," Rufus felt like he could believe her, but someone had to be the reasonable one. "If I think things are getting shady, I will protect my friend first and foremost."

"You're a good man, Rufus Carlin."

"Yeah, I know," he tried to play it suave, which never worked out for him.

Lorena smiled, then her head tilted to listen. "Ah, BamBam is here."

She walked off towards the front before that name registered to him. When it did, his eyes went wide and he rushed to join her.

"Wait, BamBam? Dave is BamBam?"

"Yes," they had reached the front door. "It's his Delta Force callsign, why?"

"I met him, a couple of times," Rufus shook his head. "He's a good guy, he just has an asshole friend."

"I see," Lorena frowned, grabbing the handle to the door. "What did they do?"

"Broke Lucy's heart..." Rufus gave an awkward laugh. "But that was his friend."

Lorena opened the door and Dave was standing there, about to knock. He just gave a laugh, like he should have expected that. "Hey, Lorena, I got your message, I hope you don't mind, but I brought another Delta with me for extra backup."

He moved just slightly and a much shorter man came into view.

"Rufus?" the man said.

"Wyatt??"

"The asshole friend?" Lorena asked.

"Um, yes," Rufus answered.

Lorena growled low, in the back of her throat.

Maybe they should go back to being attacked by baby vamps. 

"What are you doing in..." Wyatt trailed off, suddenly looking past Rufus with wide eyes, "Lucy?"

Lucy looked away from Flynn, who had his arm wrapped around her waist as they walked, her eyes just as wide as the blonde standing in the entryway.

Flynn and Lorena both heard Lucy's heart skip. It wasn't the same sound as last night or early that morning. No, she did not want to be near this man. Flynn took a small step forward, ready to defend Lucy if he had to.

Dave took in the situation and realized that Lucy was the Flynns’ new human companion.

"Damn, Lucy. Bagged yourself a pair of vamps, huh?" Dave smiled brightly at her. He was kicking himself for bringing Wyatt along, but this new development was a little entertaining to him.

He'd known the Flynns for a while now, longer then he'd known Wyatt. He wasn't going to get involved in whatever THIS was, but he'd gladly watch it unfold.

"Vampires? You've gotta be kidding me." Wyatt rolled his eyes. Not in disbelief or disgust. He knew all about vampires and a few other supernatural creatures that roamed the Earth. He was Delta after all. No, he rolled his eyes, because Lucy was apparently involved with these...wait... "Did you say PAIR? Both of them???"

Wyatt walked back out of the house. He needed to digest the fact that his ex was dating TWO vampires and HE was now charged with watching over said ex.

Dave turned back from watching Wyatt walk out to the four inside the manor. "I have so many questions, but I'm sure Lucy has some of her own. Damn if this isn't a small world."

Lucy recovered enough to attempt a smile at Dave. He wasn't the one that broke her heart after all, "You know about vampires?"

"Wyatt and I are part of a secret task force that deals with supernatural creatures. It's how I met this beautiful creature." Dave winked at Lorena and she smiled back.

Flynn just growled at the soldier. Normally he'd play along, but he was slowly developing a migraine.

Garcia knew Lorena had a weakness for tall men, especially a soldier in uniform, but it never bothered him, then or now, because he could trust Lorena to be open and honest about what she needed.

No, Flynn was focused on the other man, the one who was clearly responsible for the pain that Lucy had carried in her heart when she first arrived. Who made her feel unworthy of affection. And whose presence made her tremble.

"Right," Dave said, reading the situation. "I'll tell Wyatt he can head back."

"Probably for the best," Lorena nodded, looking at Flynn whose free hand twitched against his side.

"No," Lucy's voice came through strong and loud.

"Lucy," Flynn looked down at her, face unreadable.

"We all saw what kind of resources my family has," Lucy became firm and resolved with every word. "We need the protection. Wyatt is an asshole, but he's also a resource. So unless Dave can get more backup here soon, then I'm not going to let any of you get hurt because of something else in my past."

Flynn looked expectantly to Dave, who said, "We were already close, anyone else I trust is over a day away."

Flynn looked from Lucy to Lorena. He was not sold on this idea and wanted to leave it up to his wife. It was her, afterall, that called Dave.

Lorena walked up to Lucy and cupped her face, "Are you certain? Dave can handle himself just fine in a fight."

Lucy pushed up on her toes and placed a soft kiss on Lorena's lips. "I'm sure. Wyatt's harmless for the most part."

Lorena turned to give Dave a nod and the soldier went to retrieve Wyatt.

"Don't mention anything about the newborns around them." Flynn stated, "I don't want this village crawling with any Level 52:

more Delta Force soldiers."

Rufus was going to say something, but a thought occurred. If Dave and Wyatt were on a secret task force then that must mean they have weapons that hurt vampires!

"How long will the meeting with the Elders take?" He asked instead.

"An hour or two. Don't get yourselves into trouble until then," Flynn added, with a Look to Jiya and Rufus.

"We'll do our best," Jiya answered with a grin too wide for Flynn's liking.

He merely rolled his eyes at her before turning to Dave to shake his hand. "Look after them. We won't be long."

Rufus watched as Flynn offered his elbow to his wife, and then walked out into the morning light. He still watched a moment too long, unable to shake off the wonderment of seeing two vampires walking in daylight.

He rounded on Dave. "So, Mr. Super Secret Delta Task Force. What makes you guys so special that you'd be able to deal with our bad vampire problem?"

Dave blinked at Rufus. "There's a vampire giving you guys problems?"

Rufus suddenly remembered Flynn's warning of NOT informing the soldiers about their problem. "Uh, no. Of course not." Dave did NOT look convinced, but Rufus continued talking, "I meant a bad vampire problem in general. They can't all possibly be as nice as the Flynns."

Dave looked over at Jiya and raised a brow, asking a question. She just shrugged in response and headed to the kitchen to make Dave and Wyatt some breakfast sandwiches.

Dave then looked at Lucy, who looked equally curious. "I just know, I'm going to regret tell you this." He reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled something out, but before he could show them what it was a hand reached out and gripped his forearm.

"What the hell are you doing, man? That's classified. You should know better." Wyatt said in an irritated tone. No way was he going to be read the riot act by their commander because Dave couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Do you trust them?" Dave simply asked.

Wyatt looked at Rufus and then at Lucy. When he made eye contact with her, he quickly looked away. He knew they were trustworthy people and he had betrayed that trust. "Fine. But it's your ass, not mine."

Dave just shook Wyatt's hand off and then opened his own to reveal a small handful of red pills.

Rufus looked between the soldiers and the pills. "Are you telling me that you can fend off vampires with… vitamins?"

Wyatt made a face while Dave just laughed. "These are more than just vitamins. These are specifically designed to enhance our abilities. One pill can make you stronger, faster, even more agile."

Rufus's jaw dropped open. Lucy looked equally stunned.

"They don't make us invincible, just better. So that we don't immediately die during a fight." Wyatt added, "The only problem is that one pill can last for weeks."

"How is that a problem?" Rufus asked, reaching out to take a pill to examine it.

"The longer it stays in your system, the more aggressive and downright psychotic you become. We have a separate set of pills that bring us back down." Dave plucked the pills from Rufus's hand and put them back in his pocket.

"Has anyone ever decided not to take the other set of pills?" Lucy asked.

Dave cut a quick glance over to Wyatt. The shorter man refused to look away from his shoes. "We've had to test the limits a few times. Not always with approval from our commanders."

Lucy turned her attention to Wyatt, a question had been on her mind since they walked into the manor. "What are you two doing in Croatia?"

"Rehab." Dave answered, taking Lucy's attention off of Wyatt. "It's mandatory after extensive use of the pills. Just to ensure we have a healthy and steady detox. We were actually just passing through to Italy."

"We should secure the perimeter," Wyatt reminded Dave. "I'll take outside."

"Copy."

The two men walked off to do their thing, checking for weak spots and shoring them up, putting out some sensors, basic military SOP.

"You sure about this?" Rufus asked Lucy.

"Very," she sighed. "It hurt when he betrayed me, but what Wyatt and I had... it was nothing compared to what I feel with Garcia and Lorena. We all have the same passions. They treat me like I'm actually important to them. And the sex–"

"I don't need to know that part." Rufus cleared his throat.

Lucy chuckled. "The more I think about it, the more I realize seeing Wyatt doesn't bother me. Why would it when I now have something so much better?"

"Okay, then, just don't let him get into your head," Rufus warned.

"Never again."

* * *

The council meeting was starting in a little over an hour, but the Flynns had plenty of time. Vlad's ancestral home was only twenty minutes away on foot (two-ish if they 'flew'). It was such a lovely morning, and they both agreed they needed time away from their guests to discuss things.

"What do we think of Wyatt?" Lorena started as soon as they were well away from the manor.

"I think he is a sorry excuse of a human whose carcass is not even worthy pickings for vultures," Garcia rumbled in low tones.

Lorena chuckled. "I'm sure Lucy would appreciate your enthusiasm," she said, patting his bicep.

"You've seen how he reacted when he saw her! The bastard can't even look her in the eye. He knew how bad his transgression was."

"What about how Lucy stood her ground even when she felt uncertain?" Lorena couldn't be more proud. "Our girl has more spine than a squad of the bravest soldiers; she just doesn't seem to see it."

"Logan is Delta."

"Yes?" She wasn't sure where Garcia was going with this. He was in the room when they were discussing the soldier.

"I'm just saying that if he had laid a hand on her..." His eyes flashed briefly.

"It's safe to assume that he didn't," she replied. "Else she would have reacted badly in seeing him.

"Now, if you could stop glowering for the duration of our walk," she chided, "or you'll scare the neighbors."

"Eh." Lorena could see the grin that was threatening to bloom. "They're used to my face being as it is. You could always distract them with your charm."

They continued bantering the rest of the walk. Stopping only briefly when they noticed Vladimir's son, rushing away from his house, books falling out of his arms.

When they arrived at the door to the beautiful Dutch Colonial home, they simply walked in.

Vladimir was halfway up the first landing when he heard the door open and turned back. "The text said two hours, my friends. I also see you've given up knocking."

Flynn smirked up at the older looking man. "I helped build this house, I should be able to enter whenever I please."

"Do not make me smack you in front of your wife." Vlad said as he made his way back downstairs to greet them properly. He hugged them both and beckoned them into the parlor.

"We saw Dimitri on our way here. He looked to be in a hurry." Lorena commented as she took a seat near the fireplace.

Vladimir rolled his eyes, "Off to return books to the library. They are past due, I'm sure. He's studying to become an archaeologist." He ended with a proud smile on his face.

Lorena smiled brightly in return, "He's finally getting out of the village?"

"Possibly. I think he'll return for Kata's granddaughter. She's a good girl. Keeps my boy in check."

Flynn smiled as he poured drinks for everyone. "A union, I'm sure Kata will be furious about."

"Not as furious as Ivica. Her granddaughter is also sweet on my boy."

"I'm getting a strong sense of déjà vu..."

Flynn muttered as he recalled overhearing a similar conversation Stiv had with Vladimir's father.

"That's what happens when you're old." The grey-haired man quipped, causing Lorena to laugh.

Flynn just huffed as he checked his watch. "The others should be arriving soon."

"Yes," Vladimir took a seat across from Lorena. "I hear from Kata that the little historian might be getting close to the truth."

"About as close as one can get." Lorena smirked and Flynn blushed.

"I see," Vladimir easily understood her meaning. "You trust her enough to bring her into your bed?"

"Into our lives," Flynn corrected him. "Lucy is... remarkable, in so many ways."

"It's been a long time since either of us have felt this way about someone other than each other," Lorena added, eyes drifting to the fire.

"How unfortunate," Vladimir sighed.

Flynn knew what he meant. Lucy was human and even if they all survived what came next, Lucy would grow old. 

It was a conversation he didn't want to have. One he put off with Lorena until it was too late. He would forever feel guilt for turning her without knowing for sure that was what she wanted. But he couldn't let her die. He loved her too much. Their daughter needed her. And so he made the decision, one which she never held against him. But still...

Perhaps it was a conversation that he should not put off with Lucy, even though their relationship was so new and they were only starting to get to know each other intimately.

There was a knock at the door. The others were arriving.

Thirty minutes later, all of the Elders had arrived. Flynn had helped rearrange the chairs so that they could have a proper meeting in the parlor. This wasn't their usual place to meet, but it was the best they could do on such short notice.

They were arranged in a semicircle with Flynn standing before them. Lorena sat off to the side.

"Friends, I am sorry for dragging you all here on such short notice, but this was an emergency that couldn't wait."

"Does this have anything to do with the noises coming from your manor last night? There were complaints," Lucian asked, he was dressed in casual clothes, but Flynn could see his badge poking out.

"The manor was attacked last night." Lorena cut right to the chase. "Rittenhouse."

Kata was immediately on alert, "Your guest? Jiya?"

"All fine. Because of your meddling, Kata, they already knew about us."

Kata just smiled, not at all affected by Flynn's glare. The others in the room just rolled their eyes or groaned in annoyance.

"You were gifted an incredible power and yet all you do is use it to meddle in other people's lives. It's annoying." Ivica, the only other female in the room said.

"Let her have her fun." Mirko waved the others off. "Now, Rittenhouse...These are the people that killed the both of you. Are they a threat to us as well?"

"Their leader, Nicholas, is creating newborns. He used them and some humans to attack us. I fear no one would be safe if he decides to stick around. Has anyone gone missing?"

Lucian thought it over. Recalling all the reports that crossed his desk the past week. "Not in this village. Maybe a few towns over."

Grgur stood and poured himself another drink. "Strange how as soon as your guests learned of you, that Rittenhouse attacks." He takes a sip and looks over at the pair.

Flynn did not like Grgur. He was a pain in the ass that kept trying to sleep with his wife. No matter how many times she said no, the man was persistent. "Lucy and Rufus had nothing to do with it. They are friends. Hopefully, life long."

"You never know. That pretty little thing might have you by the short hairs, my friend." Grgur continued.

Flynn and Lorena both growled at him. "Watch your mouth." Lorena hissed at the smirking man.

Vladimir sighed, loudly. "If Lorena rips your head off, Grgur, the only punishment she will face is having to replace my rug. It's hand weaved."

"I know of a lovely shop in Prague," Lorena smiled. "I'm sure I can find something a little more color coordinated."

The smirk fell from Grgur's face, replaced with a scowl. Though he said nothing more on the matter.

Ivica cleared her throat. "We cannot ignore the coincidence that the moment you return after all these years... Rittenhouse attacks."

"Could they have been keeping watch on the manor?"Vladimir asked Lucian.

"None of the villagers," he replied. "No one whose appearance in the village is suspect."

Flynn took a deep breath, not needing the oxygen but finding strength in the gesture. "We know why they attacked. That isn't why we're here."

"What do you know?" Ivica asked.

Flynn glanced at Lorena. They both know it was Lucy who led Rittenhouse to them, as unintentional as it had been. But her connection to Rittenhouse was perhaps not made common knowledge.

"I know enough," he answered, making it clear that this was all he was going to say in the matter.

Vladimir eyed him warily for a moment, then let the question pass. "Alright then, dear friend. Why are you here?"

"Rittenhouse won't stop. I suspect they'll be back again and soon. I don't want any villagers to get hurt or to be turned. A curfew might be in order. At least until we figure out our next move."

Flynn let the Elders digest that for a moment, all of them looking skeptical, but they knew arguing would get them nowhere.

Kata was the first to speak, "I can place wards up. To prevent any supernatural beings from entering the village. But any humans Rittenhouse sends will pass with no problem, I'm afraid."

"I'm sure we can deal with whoever slips through the wards." Lucian sighed, knowing this was going to cause some friction in his police station. Not _everyone_ approved of the Flynns returning.

"I'll be sure to have some pack members patrol the forest at night." Grgur begrudgingly offered.

Ivica smiled up at the vampire, "You have our full support. But don't leave us out of the loop. Last time Rittenhouse attacked, you packed up the entire family and left without a word to any of our grandparents."

Lorena stood and placed her hand on Flynn's arm. "We'll make sure to inform you if we plan anything. Right, Garcia?" Lorena gave him a look. It was his, after all, that decided leaving in the dead of night was for the best.

"Yes, Ms. Mayor." Flynn directed at Ivica. The politician just smirked back.

Mirko stood with a clap, "Now if that concludes our business, I'm sure you two have a list of repairs that must be done at the manor."

Before either Flynn would respond, Lucian suddenly growled and all heads turned towards him and followed his line of sight to the doorway.

"Master?" Flynn asked, confused.

Stiv smirked, "It's been a while. Miss me?"

Lucian shifted in his seat. "You were forbidden from returning here."

"Was I?" Stiv smiled and glanced over at Ivica. "I thought it was just a mild suggestion, unless you passed a law?"

"If you can behave yourself this time, then perhaps we won't have to," she replied wryly.

"I shall do my best." Stiv placed his hand over his heart. "I simply wanted to see how my favorite was getting along. His last days here were very traumatic." He glanced at Lorena. "You're looking well, my dear."

"When did you arrive?" Flynn asked, ignoring the bait.

"Literal moments ago," Stiv answered. "Imagine my surprise when on my way to the manor I found you here, with the whole town council gathered."

"So you know nothing of last night's attack?" Lucian asked.

Stiv frowned. "What attack?"

Flynn gritted his jaw. "Rittenhouse is back."

Stiv's eyes flashed amber as he looked around the room. A sneer overtaking his face as his eyes landed back on Flynn. "I knew you should have never returned. Pack your things, we're leaving. Now."

Lorena could see the tension and fear in the older vampire’s eyes, but this time she was going to decide how to deal with things. This was HER home and Rittenhouse will NOT drive her away again.

"No. We have things here that must get done. We will leave when I say we should."

Stiv looked annoyed and huffed, "Lorena. I've dealt with these people for centuries, I will NOT continue to put you in danger by allowing this. You are my family and I WILL protect you."

Flynn looked from his maker to his wife. He agreed with both of them, but he knew he'd have to make a choice. It wasn't really a hard one to make, in the end. "Lorena's right, but so are you. We'll stay because that's what Lorena wants. It's what I want."

Stiv looked from them to the Elders and then back. "... What can I do?" He gave in.

"Iris. She's in Paris. She needs to be protected." Lorena offered, knowing he had a soft spot for their child.

Stiv softened at the mention of Iris and nodded along. "I will protect her with my life."

"We know you will. We can discuss this back at the manor." Flynn placed his hand on Stiv's arm.

"I have no desire to stay here, Garcia. I'll leave, before I bed Eliza again."

Lucian growled.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lucy was in the study. While Wyatt and Dave did their thing, and Rufus and Jiya did theirs, Lucy decided to continue her work with cataloging. It was the job she was hired for, and there were so many beautiful things. She really hoped that Rittenhouse wouldn't end up destroying everything.

Okay, maybe she was distracting herself from the knowledge of what her family did. A little column A, a little column B.

"Hey," Wyatt said as he walked, heading for the window. "We're closing all the curtains. They might have heat vision goggles but any little way we can blind them, the better."

"Of course." Lucy turned on an extra reading lamp. She was inclined to trust Wyatt regarding military and combat readiness, just not so much with anything emotional maturity related.

When he finished, he headed back out, only to stop a few feet from the door. Lucy had been expecting he'd want to 'talk.' Best to simply get it over with.

"They don't care about you," he told her.

"Oh, and you do?" Lucy sat back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"They're vampires," he put emphasis on the word. "You're just an amusement to them. Maybe you'll get a couple of good years but then they will grow tired of you and move onto the next shiny thing."

Lucy would be lying if she said she hadn't had the same thought. She knew the Flynns had other lovers in the past, together and individually. What ones she knew of were rather remarkable people, even those that didn't really make it into the history books.

But Wyatt was right, they had moved on, outlived many of them. They would outlive her unless... they hadn't broached the subject of being turned, and honestly didn't know what her answer would be if they did.

But she did know one thing.

"I have never known one person, let alone two, who have ever put me first in a relationship," she said pointedly at Wyatt glanced away at the accusation. "They care about my feelings, my thoughts, my hopes and my dreams... they don't make me feel special, they make me feel extraordinary." Lucy took a deep cleansing breath. "Now maybe you're right, and in a few years we'll all move on. But I would rather have those years with them, than a lifetime of being walked all over by someone like you."

Wyatt stood slack-jawed. "You've changed, Lucy."

"No, Wyatt, I started letting myself be me and not what I thought others wanted me to be."

He had no reply to that and Lucy allowed herself to feel smug satisfaction at that.

"Wyatt," Dave called out and he used it as an opportunity to retreat.

Another hour had passed and the Flynns had yet to return from their meeting. Lucy hoped everything was alright. She hoped Rittenhouse hadn't gotten them into any trouble with the Elders. She was off in her own world when Wyatt had reentered the room.

She sighed. Now what?

Wyatt didn't say anything, just stared at her for a while, she was growing more irritated the longer he stayed silent. She was about to tell him off when he sat down in the chair next to her. His eyes softened.

"I'm an asshole. I get that. But these people are VAMPIRES. Are you sure you're doing this because you WANT to or because they're making you believe you want this?"

Lucy's anger flared up at the accusation, but Wyatt continued before she could speak.

"Do you know if they've glamoured you into this relationship?"

"They would nev–"

"Are you sure?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and pushed away from the table. Away from him. "Positive. They told me themselves that they would never do that."

Wyatt took a slow breath in and held it. "There's a way to know for sure. If you truly believe you haven't been charmed by them, I'll leave right now and we won't discuss this further."

Lucy was going to refuse him again, but something in his eyes told her he was being honest in his concern. Then doubt crept into her mind. How would she actually know if they hadn't?

"Wh...what are the signs of a glamour?" She asked instead.

Wyatt furrowed his brows, no doubt thinking hard, "A bunch of signs actually, but the common ones are a feeling of ease around them, memory lost or a foggy memory. If their eyes turn yellow when you're making eye contact is a big indicator that they might be charming you." Wyatt was struggling with trying to remember it all. "I honestly can't remember everything, we don't really have to worry about being charmed or tricked."

"Why not?"

"Our pills. It releases some kind of… something, that prevents it. I'm not really up on the science of it all. Sorry."

Lucy turned his words over in her head for a moment, she hadn't realized she was leaning against the table, until he knocked her elbow with his.

"How well do you actually know these people, Lucy?"

That was the problem, Lucy thought. She knew she was attracted to them. That she was on the fast track of falling for them, but now with Wyatt's questions she wondered if her feelings were because of some charm. They hadn't really talked about their relationship.

The sex was amazing of course, but could they REALLY be attracted to her mind? She was doubtful.

Lucy's voice was soft, almost a whisper, "What would I need to do?" Wyatt gave her a sympathetic look, but she quickly turned away from him. "I wouldn't have to hurt them, would I?"

Wyatt laughed at that, "I doubt you'll be able to if you had to." He smiled at her and reached into the little pocket on his flannel. "You just gotta take one of my pills, Lucy. It's that simple. You'll feel a slight pressure in your head if they try anything."

He held two pills out for her to take. A red and a yellow one.

She took them.

A half an hour later, Lucy was in the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge. Carbs, she needed carbs. This must have been why Wyatt ate so much, she just thought it was because he was Texan.

"Hey, Lucy," Dave walked in, heading to the sink to fill up his water bottle.

"Hey."

Lucy grabbed a yogurt, not exactly what she needed but she didn't want to tip Dave off. He probably wouldn't approve of unsanctioned use of military drugs.

"Dave," she stopped him from leaving. "How do you know the Flynns?"

"Was doing a job, classified, when I came across them," he said. "Had to check them out, make sure they weren't a threat. They ended up actually helping. Saved more lives than I could have on my own."

That very much sounded like the Flynns she knew. "You seem really friendly with them."

"We had our moments," he laughed. "But you don't need to worry. What happens in Morocco stays in Morocco."

Lucy laughed with him, but then she had to ask. "Did they try to... glamour you?"

"Once," he admitted. "But it was when I first started looking into them. They like their privacy and it was more of a "these are not the vampires you are looking for' kind of thing."

Lucy may not be super into pop culture, but she understood that reference. And of course they would have realized it wouldn't work on him. But they did try...

"Hey," Dave brought her attention back. "I told you not to let Wyatt into your head."

"I..." she tried to play it off and failed cause she's kinda miserable at that type of thing.

"In the midst of battle, I trust him with my life," Dave continued. "But when it comes to relationships, well, I'll be honest, I don't think he really understands what it's like to be open, and vulnerable, and happy. That's why he fucked up with Jess, and with you." He sighed. "He sees you being happy and he'll project his own insecurities on you. Make you feel unworthy like he feels."

Lucy looked down at the floor, his words hitting home. She was happy and felt worthy until...

"You've definitely given me something to think about," Lucy told him, then made her way out of the kitchen.

Wyatt had told her she needed to carb load before taking the pills, especially as she was much smaller than the average Delta. The yogurt she grabbed wouldn't do it.

But now she was a muddle of emotions and self-doubt. The pills were in her pocket, she could always go back to the kitchen later.

Right now... she just needed to think, and get Wyatt out of her head.

* * *

"Nothing good can come of you staying here, Garcia." Stiv said as they walked the outskirts of the village. "This place has only brought you trouble."

Lorena had stayed behind to give Mirko a list of the repairs they needed done at the manor. She'd meet him at the manor.

Flynn sighs heavily. "I know, master. But it's complicated at the moment. There are certain factors to consider."

Stiv didn't question him, just tilted his head. "I do not wish to tell your little girl that her parents died because they were too stubborn to leave my cursed manor."

"You won't have to. I can keep Lorena safe. We have the entire village on our side. Lorena doesn't want to be run out. I will do as she wishes."

Stiv gave a faux offended look. "It seems that you have a new master. I'm hurt."

Flynn smirked over at the older man. "Lorena is an upgrade, that's for sure."

Stiv playfully rolled his eyes. But he knew Lorena was the best candidate to take care of his charge when he wasn't around. She was everything and more. Stiv would be lying if he said he wasn't jealous of the love they had for each other.

They continued walking in silence for a few minutes, basking in the other's presence. Once they reached the edge of the woods, Stiv turned to his child.

"Rittenhouse has a special talent for hurting you. Don't let them do that this time. I'd hate for your Delta friends to come after me because I've massacred all of Rittenhouse and their families."

"You wouldn't kill children."

"They didn't care that Iris was only 5 when they tried to kill her, do you really think I would?" Stiv's eyes flashed in anger.

"You're better than them." Flynn tried to argue, but he knew his master too well, to really try.

"No. I'm just better at hiding the fact that I'm a monster."

He turned towards the woods and began walking away. He tossed a wave Flynn's way, "I'll call when I've secured Iris. Don't die."

Flynn didn't respond. He just watched him leave.

* * *

"What do you know about Wyatt?"

Rufus was in the thick of poring over Lorena's notes when Jiya spoke up.

"I know him through Lucy, when they got together," he answered, scratching his cheek as he pondered. "We'd go out for drinks on occasion, usually when Lucy's with him. We're not exactly close. Why?"

"Nothing," she answered with a shrug, "just wondering if I need to put a hex on him."

Rufus side-eyed her. "What?"

"What?" she blinked back at him. 

Flynn returned to the manor. Lorena hadn't come back yet but he didn't worry, he knew she'd be another hour or so. A part of him still worried that he'd lose her again, even now with her abilities. He couldn't go through that... and he couldn't lose Lucy either...

He took a moment to talk to Dave on his way in. He approved of the security measures. Ultimately it was smart to bring him in.

Then Flynn found Lucy in the study. The door was open and he walked in, unnaturally quietly but he couldn't really help that. She was looking at a book, but she was actually looking through it, lost in thought.

Was it too soon to talk to her about what they should do if something were to happen to her? If she was to become mortally wounded? They only just began this relationship... and he supposed it would be like proposing marriage.

He certainly wouldn't be against being her husband.

"Lucy," he said her name softly and she glanced up, startled. Perhaps now wasn't a good time to talk about it, he should at least wait for Lorena. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course," she said, but the beat of her heart said otherwise.

"If you're troubled by Wyatt, we can ask him to leave," Flynn told her and the change in her heartbeat told him that he had found the root of her troubles.

"He..." Lucy took a breath and calmed herself. "I'm okay, really. Just, old memories you know? Not all of them good. I just need to let this wash out."

Flynn understood deeply that feeling. Sometimes he would get hit by the memories of decades past, of the awful things humans do to each other. "If there is anything myself or Lorena can do, you just need to ask."

"I know." She smiled.

Flynn wanted to rush forward and kiss her, but clearly she needed her space. Plus, "I am going to see Jiya, about some other security measures. Lorena will be back soon, we'll have a late lunch."

"I'd like that."

He smiled at her because how could he not? Then bowed out of the room to give her the space to deal with the memories of her past. But he would be right there beside her, should she need him.

Lucy watched him leave and pulled the pills from her pocket. She examined them, turning them over in her fingers. She didn't trust Wyatt, not entirely. But she did have a fleeting thought of it being convenient how everyone dismissed him and his words so readily.

Was it because he had taken a pill and wasn't glamoured? Were the Flynns playing some kind of sick and twisted game with her? She really hated that she doubted everything. She woke up so happy...

"Lucy?"

Lucy jumped at the sound of Dave's voice and she quickly pocketed the pills.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Her heart was practically beating out of her chest. She hoped he didn't see the pills. "It's fine. I was lost in my head. Did you need something?"

Dave narrowed his eyes at her, giving her a once-over. "... No. Just came to say goodbye. Lorena's back and Wyatt and I have to get going. We'd rather stay the night, but we have our orders."

Lucy wanted to ask about it, but she knew he'd just smile and tell her it's classified. Instead she stood and hugged him. "It was really good to see you."

Dave wrapped his arms around her in a big bear hug. "The Flynns know they can call me anytime. That privilege extends to you and Rufus, alright?"

Lucy nodded against his chest. She felt safe and protected in his strong arms. She could hear his heart beating in his chest and it was a jarring contrast to when she had laid her head on Flynn and Lorena's chest just that morning.

She released him with a smile and noticed Wyatt standing in the doorway, watching his shoes with interest. 

Dave looked between the two, "I'll just be outside." He muttered to Lucy before walking past his friend.

Wyatt looked up at her once Dave left. "Um… It was nice to see you… and Rufus. Despite the circumstances. Please be careful." He made a move as if to hug her, but quickly rethought his actions and just offered his hand. "Maybe not friends, but acquaintances?"

Lucy didn't answer, but she shook his hand with a tense smile.

Lucy followed them downstairs and to the front door, where the Flynns were waiting. Dave gave Lorena a hug, similar to the one he wrapped Lucy in.

Lucy fleeting wondered if Lorena felt safe in his arms. Or if it was the other way around and it was Dave who felt protected.

Wyatt simply nodded at the vampires and walked out the door with a glance back at Lucy. They shared a brief smile and then he was gone.

Flynn noticed and incorrectly believed it meant more than a simple glance. Maybe she still had feelings for the soldier. He was brought out of his head when Dave pulled him into a bear hug.

"We can have our people look into whoever attacked you." Dave offered, one foot out the door.

"No, we can handle it from here. But thank you." Lorena replied.

Dave shrugged and left with a wave. It was nice seeing Dave again, Lorena just wished it was under better circumstances.

After he and Wyatt left, Lorena went into the kitchen to start on lunch. While she and Garcia didn't need food, it was important everyone kept their strength up. And the normalcy of it was nice.

Garcia wandered in and she caught a brooding look on his face.

"Dear," she sighed and sat down the vegetables she was cutting up. "What's wrong?"

He opened his mouth to deny it but they had been together too long not to know when the other was troubled.

"It's about Lucy," he finally said. "We're taking this too fast."

Lorena raised a brow. "You didn't think so last night. And neither did we."

"Yes, well, I've had time to think." He walked to the blood fridge which they now didn't bother to lock. "In the middle of battle is not the place to start a relationship."

"Did you forget most of the world was at war when we met?"

He poured himself a glass. "Lucy is human. If she were to get badly hurt, we need to know if we should turn her. But to put that kind of pressure on her? Right now? It's not fair."

She crossed her arms. "Do you not think Lucy is capable of making her own decisions? That she doesn't think she can walk away from us whenever she wants? Even if we have to turn her to save her?"

Garcia bowed his head and placed both hands on the countertop. "Of course I do... I just..."

"You just what?" a woman's voice that wasn't Lorena said.

They both turned to see Lucy standing in the doorway.

Flynn placed his glass on the counter and crossed his arms. He was hungry, but this could very well be an important conversation between them.

"I don't want to turn you, Lucy. It is not a desire of mine. I don't want Lorena turning you either."

Lorena glared at her husband, but said nothing. As her maker he could command her not to do it and she'd have no choice but to obey. He's never used that particular ability against her, but Lorena had a feeling he would if Lucy was absolutely sure about what she wanted.

Lucy could sense the silent argument between the couple and felt guilty that she might be the cause of it. She stepped between the two, both immediately turning their full attention to her.

"I'm not sure what I want..." She bit her lip and the pair had a feeling that she was talking about more than the topic at hand.

Lucy could feel the pills in her pocket like a weight holding her down. But she wasn't going to tell them she had them. She decided she was going to trust them...for now.

Maybe all they wanted from her was sex. She was fine with that. They were both gentle and responsive lovers. If either gave her a reason to put weight behind Wyatt's warnings then she'll use the pills. Until then, she was going to enjoy this for what it was.

Lorena's eyes flashed amber as she locked eyes with her and Lucy quickly looked away. Lorena was confused, but let it go. "This isn't the time to discuss this. Jiya or Rufus can walk in and this most definitely classifies as a private conversation."

Flynn reached behind him for his glass of blood and sighed in annoyance. He knew Lorena was right, but he had this feeling that things were going too fast and that Nicholas would find a way to take his happiness from him again. He didn't want to fall in love with Lucy. He really didn't. But he knew that he had no choice on the matter.

Lorena, he knew, loved hard and fiercely and he didn't want her hurt if something happened to Lucy. "We want you to know that we care for you, Lucija, very much," Flynn confessed in low tones. "Time is of no consequence to us, and we forgot that's not the case for you." 

He drew in a breath. "If you think that Lorena and I had been too hasty, we will understand if that's not what you want..."

His tone, his captivating eyes never failed to make Lucy feel weak at the knees. "Lucija...?"

Flynn didn't get to reply as he looked up sharply. Lorena did the same, their gazes towards the open door. Their eyes flashed.

"Jiya and Rufus must be in the study," Lorena told her husband. He simply nodded.

Lucy sensed the change in the air as she took in their taut frames and alert expressions. "What is it?"

"Intruder."

* * *

Rufus sat in the study pouring over Lorena's research. After last night he was determined to find a way to protect himself and Lucy. He was utterly useless in the fight. Jiya had this aura about her that told him she could handle herself against vampires.

Speaking of, she had told him to talk to Lucy. She'd been acting weird for a few hours now and he knew he SHOULD ask her what was going on, but he was certain she was probably busy with the Flynns. Hopefully in a non-sexual way because Rufus refused to think about THAT.

A noise from the door caught his attention and he looked over, expecting to find one of the manors occupants. No one was there.

He shook his head, "You're going crazy, man." He muttered to himself as he turned back to the papers. "Hearing noises in a creepy ass vampire house? Standard."

"Not all of us are creepy." A raspy voice said to his left and Rufus turned in time to see a fist connect with his face.

He was knocked out of his chair and before he could process anything, he was lifted off of the ground by his throat. He could feel his windpipe being crushed as he struggled to breathe.

"It was so easy to break back in." The vampire said and through his hazy vision, Rufus was able to recognize the vampire that had sent the message last night. The one Flynn had tossed out the window.

The vampire punched Rufus in the side this time and a sickening crack could be heard. Then with a flick of his wrist he tossed Rufus against the wall.

The engineer was slowly losing consciousness. He felt blood on the back of his neck and suspected he might have a concussion.

The vampire slowly stalked towards him with a sick grin. "I have my orders. Kill anyone that isn't the brunette lady."

The vamp took another step before he stopped altogether. Every muscle tense. "What the–"

"Get the hell away from him."

Both vampire and human looked towards the door and saw Jiya, looking downright animalistic in her anger.

Rufus was slowly losing consciousness and everything was happening in slow motion. He wanted to warn Jiya. Tell her to leave him, but he couldn't speak.

He closed his eyes as Jiya walked into the study. The last thing his brain registered was a scream before the darkness took him.

Garcia asked his wife to take Lucy to a secured area near their chambers while he whisked himself to where their unwanted guest was. Before he even reached the study, a shockwave swept through the hall.

He was surprised at first, seeing the arc of energy push through the air and knocking inanimate objects out of its path. But it was not unfamiliar to him. He'd seen this before, thus was able to bull through it without being completely overpowered. He didn't have time to slow down.

Crossing the threshold to the study, he quickly took in the scene: Jiya, on all fours, looking exhausted but unhurt; Rufus, across the other side of the room lying in a heap, the tang of blood pungent in his nose.

A growl emanated in his throat when he spotted the third figure. It was the same brat Nicholas sent, knocked into the ancient shelves. The tomes were strewn around him. 

Garcia's eyes practically blazed. "Those were first editions, _malo seronje. _"

The newborn was severely injured by the looks of it. Barely moving and taking shallow breaths. He looked pissed and scared.

Flynn knelt next to Jiya first, "Are you alright?"

She was breathing hard, clearly exhausted. "He was going to kill him… Need to… save him."

Flynn looked towards Rufus and with a quick glance at the newborn made his way over to the human. He was in bad shape. Broken ribs from the sound of his breathing.

Flynn felt anger bubbling up inside of him and with a blink he was in front of the newborn. He gripped him by the throat, just like last night and brought his face close to his. "You hurt my friend," he snarled. "Pissed off my niece. And ruined a first edition."

The newborn struggled against his hold, but was too weak to put up too much of a fight. Jiya had really done a number on him.

Flynn stood with the pathetic being still in an iron grip and dragged him across the room to where Jiya was just starting to stand on shaky legs. "Your call, kid."

Jiya scowled at the struggling newborn. "Make it quick, we have to get Rufus to Kata."

Flynn nodded and lifted the vampire until he was eye level. "I'm really going to enjoy this." He said just before he stuck his hands in his mouth and ripped his jaw from his face.

The newborn fell to the floor, unmoving. But to make sure, Flynn punched a hole in the newborn's chest and ripped his heart out.

"That was really gross. And violent." Jiya muttered as she cradled Rufus's head in her hands.

"No one fucks with you or your boyfriend and gets away with it." Flynn stated as he carelessly tossed the heart on the floor.

"Rufus isn't..." Jiya took a calming breath, "Help me with him."

Kata was immediately summoned to help with Rufus' injuries. Jiya had been trained under her tutelage in the ancient and modern healing arts, but this was Rufus, and Flynn felt he was... important to her.

Flynn had to smile to himself. He and Lorena were happy that Jiya found her own person to care for outside of their own small circle. She looked happy, more animated. Perhaps it's finding someone who is close to her age. And, more important, he suspected, her first lover.

He couldn't be more proud of Jiya as she conducted herself professionally, acting as Kata's assistant. He could feel her heart trying to beat out of her chest, this was true. But she summoned the calm she needed for steady hands and a cool head.

Their little Jiya has grown to be a very remarkable woman, and she has a great future to look forward to.

That is, if she survives this struggle against Rittenhouse.

Lucy rushed to the room, Lorena right behind her. It was safe now, only the one vampire getting in. This annoyed Flynn because he checked the perimeter defenses himself.

"Rufus?" Lucy looked to Flynn with fear. Rufus was her best friend, and he was here because she brought him.

"They are taking care of him," Flynn assured her. "You can go in, but please do not get in their way. Magic has been known to be fickle."

"Magic..." she trailed off then shook her head. "Of course."

Lucy went inside and Lorena got close, saying, "How did that newborn get in? We checked the defenses and Dave would not be that careless."

"Perhaps..." Flynn licked his lips and thought. "He could have come back last night, while we were... preoccupied, with Lucy. Then waited for his time to strike."

"Waited? Like a sleeper?" Lorena frowned. "Newborns are rarely that patient. But, yes, Dave didn't have his heightened senses active, and we... we underestimated that bastard Nicholas again."

Lorena was about ready to knock a hole in the wall. She probably would have if she had been okay with damaging the manor.

"Stiv is protecting Iris," Flynn reminded her. "Though we both know she's very capable of defending herself."

"If Nicholas so much as breathes in her direction..." Lorena snarled.

Flynn was about to reach for his wife to sooth her when he felt the buzzing in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out the phone he had taken off the body of the newborn.

The ringer said 'unknown' but Flynn knew exactly who was on the other end.

“Hello, Nicholas."

"We have to stop meeting like this, Garcia. People might think we're enemies." Flynn growled and Nicholas laughed. "You're too sensitive, calm down my friend."

"We are not friends, Nicholas. I want to rip your heart out." Flynn snarled.

Nicholas let out an amused sigh, "All you have to do is send Lucy home. From your hostility I'm assuming my newborn hurt someone. Was it that pretty little witch you keep around?"

The phone cracked in Flynn's hand as he tried to keep calm. How did he know about Jiya? "You'll never see Lucy again, Nicholas. I promise you that."

Now it was Nicholas' turn to growl into the phone, "I've kept Rittenhouse off of your back for years. Why do you think you haven't encountered one of us since the 20's? That was ME. Now give me back what's mine."

Flynn looked at Lorena, who's eyes had gone completely yellow in her anger. "If I ever get my hands on him..." She trailed off and Flynn pulled her close to him and rested his head against hers.

"If Lucy wanted to go back, I'd let her go. But I doubt she'd want anything to do with you, now that you've hurt Rufus."

There was silence on the other end and Flynn would have thought Nicholas had hung up, but he could still hear the other man breathing.

"It's obvious that you can't keep me out of your precious little village, Garcia. Wards? Really? I'm insulted. I'll give you a week."

Lorena stepped back and looked at her husband, confused and concerned. Flynn was able to read the question in her eyes, "A week for what?"

"To think about whether you want a war with Rittenhouse or not. If you're really willing to sacrifice the entire village for a stranger."

"I don't need a week."

Nicholas huffed another sigh, he wasn't getting the answers he wanted and Flynn smirked at his frustration. "You stubborn old fool. You want a war? Fine. Wish granted. I'll no longer keep my family from laying waste to your village."

Flynn smirked, "You can certainly try."

"Always so smug," Nicolas said coldly. "I think I'll murder your darling Lorena in front of you this time."

Flynn couldn't even articulate words, just growled into the receiver.

"Be seeing you very soon," Nicolas added at short chuckle, like this was all a game to him.

The line went dead and Flynn threw the phone against the wall with all his strength. It shattered into pieces spreading shrapnel down the hall.

"Nicolas is coming to finish what he started all those years ago," Lorena said having heard the conversation.

"Let him try," Flynn growled. "I will not underestimate him again."

"You said that last time," Lorena pointed out, shaking her head. "We both did. Yet Rufus lays in that bed, hurt, because we didn't think he'd have the thought to plant a sleeper."

Flynn tensed his hand, making fists.

"Last time," Lucy said as she walked out to join them, "you didn't have me."

"We won't let him take you," Flynn assured her.

"I know." She gave Flynn a subdued smile. "But this is as much my fight as it is yours. I want him to pay for hurting Rufus, for hurting you."

"We will make him pay," Flynn spoke with conviction. "Whatever it takes."

"Whatever it takes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back to posting! Sorry that took long. That's on me. - Daiji (UnUnpredictableMe)


	5. Trust and Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [#FlynnFriday imagine](https://twitter.com/thalia_msr/status/1304389642096181251): With Rufus recovering from his injuries, the Flynns put a new plan into motion regarding the safety of the humans around them. Meanwhile, Lucy struggles with doubt & temptation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Content warning_ : There will be a brief sexual interlude in the middle of this story, when Lucy tells Lorena, "I need to get out of my head." 
> 
> You'll see a rather risque fanart of Lucy and Lorena (by yours truly) once the scene ends. ^^
> 
> And much ❤ to TheaLocksly for the banner drawing! 
> 
> (~ Daiji/UnUnpredictableMe)

As cliches go, his first conscious thought was: _Am I in heaven?_

Even through foggy thoughts, Rufus was disappointed in himself. For someone smart, he could have come up with something more original. He didn't exactly believe in the afterlife, either.

Because his last conscious recollection was receiving a blow he knew he couldn't come back from.

His mind tried to process what his current situation was. That's when he realized the light behind his eyelids. It took a lot of effort, something he thought shouldn't be the case when one is dead, making him groan.

His other senses started to engage as well. Soft fabric all around him, the distant birdsong, the odd mix of antiseptic and citrus...

"I'm glad you've rejoined us in the land of the living, Mr. Carlin."

Rufus's eyes sprang open as his body jerked awake. His unfocused eyes easily made out the dark figure at the end of the bed he was laying on. His muscles screamed in protest to his sudden movements. His foggy brain had made a horrible conclusion to how he had survived the attack. "Oh...God. I'm dead," he croaked out, unable to talk properly.

Flynn rolled his eyes and huffed. "Jiya and Lucy knew you'd jump to conclusions. Now I'm out 50 bucks."

Rufus went to speak, but his throat closed up and he struggled to breath for a moment.

Flynn was quick to bring him a glass of water that was placed on the nightstand. "Easy. Your windpipe was damaged during the attack."

Rufus took a few grateful sips from the straw, but was still wary of the vampire. "...Jiya?"

Flynn's lips twitched in a smile before jerking his head to the left. Rufus turned his head and realized, for the first time, that Jiya was completely wrapped around his right arm. He blushed as he released a breath.

"She's fine. And you will be too."

"You didn't… did you?" Rufus looked downright horrified.

Flynn wanted to tease the younger man, but Lorena had ordered him not to. "Neither Lorena or I turned you, if that's what you're implying. We sent for a healer after I disposed of our unwanted guest."

"Healer?" Rufus had so many questions, but his brain was getting foggy again.

"Jiya will explain, I'm sure. Rest."

Rufus barely held back a flinch as Flynn rearranged the blanket around him and Jiya, but the other man ignored it. He watched as Flynn tucked the blanket tightly around her.

"She never left your side, you know," Flynn murmured, fingers idly brushing the hair away from her peaceful face. "Didn't rest until she knew you were alright."

Rufus was barely listening, blinking owlishly at the tender gesture he just witnessed. He never would have associated that with this supernatural being.

"You're very safe here, Rufus," Flynn said softly some minutes later. "Get some rest."

And it's these moments when Rufus could swear the Flynns could read minds that creep the shit out of him.

He had a mind to tell Flynn, but Rufus remembered his manners.

"T-thanks," he said instead, gingerly snuggling closer to the still-dozing beauty beside him.

A small upturn of Flynn's lips was his reply. "I'll have food brought up later if you're up to it?"

"Real food, right?" Rufus asked. "Not, you know, your food."

Flynn rolled his eyes. "We did not turn you. Your survival is a result of magic healing and your own stubbornness."

Rufus eyed him warily, then watched as Flynn shook his head and walked out of the room, a possible smirk on his face.

Now, he was alone with Jiya who was holding onto him as his life depended on it. He wanted to wake her up and tell her that he was okay, but he also didn't want to wake her. She looked very tired and exhausted.

Moving carefully, he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

He really was done for when it came to Jiya, but, wow, what a complicated family did she have. But it was okay, they'd figure it out. She was worth it.

Snugging into her, he closed his eyes for a more restful sleep.

Flynn had slowly walked back to the master bedroom. His thoughts elsewhere as he entered the room. His mind snapped to attention when he smelled blood. "Lucy?"

"Shit!" Lucy turned around, hand over her heart. "You scared me!" She said as she carefully cradled her hand away from her… his... sweater.

Flynn took a moment to observe the scene before him. Lucy's hair was wet and her face was scrubbed clean of make-up. He could see steam coming from the bathroom and heard Lorena humming an old forgotten tune.

He raised a brow, "Did I miss something fun?" He smirked a little as he stood before her.

Lucy just chuckled and allowed him to take her freshly cut hand. "I took a shower alone. Lorena said I could borrow one of your shirts and that fell out of the sweater." Lucy pointed towards the dresser where an extremely sharp dagger was stained with her blood. "I tried to catch it when it fell, but grabbed the… huh..."

Lucy stared at the blade in fascination. It was giving off a faint pale blue glow. Flynn smirked at her.

"A gag gift from Jiya. She loves the Lord of The Rings. It glows when vampires are near." Flynn gently tugged Lucy a little closer.

Lucy finally tore her eyes away from the dagger. Not noticing the shower turning off. "Why was it hiding in the dresser?"

"There are many magical items hidden around the manor. This one happens to be my favorite." He slowly brought her hand up towards his mouth. "May I?"

Lucy suddenly felt a presence behind her before Lorena's arms wrapped around her waist. She _very much_ wanted Flynn to do whatever it was he was planning, but when his eyes flashed amber, she jerked her hand away.

"Umm, no. Sorry."

Lorena immediately removed her hands from around her and Flynn took a step back. "No, I apologize. I've made you uncomfortable. That was not my intention."

"No its—"

"It's fine, Lucy." Lorena's soft voice interrupted. "We understand." She gently pressed a hand towel onto Lucy's cut.

Lorena was wrapped in a towel and Lucy was very tempted to drop her doubts and Wyatt's words on the floor, but… she just couldn't afford to be that ignorant.

"Rufus woke up." Flynn said as a way to change the subject. It worked.

Lucy immediately turned back towards him. "Is he okay? Is he asking for me?"

Flynn smiled at the much smaller woman. "I believe he's going to be just fine. He's resting now. I owe you money, though…”

"See? Do I know Rufus, or do I know Rufus?" she said.

Flynn felt her enthusiasm rang hollow, but decided to let her have her way. As she turned towards the ensuite bathroom to take care of the cut, he cast a questioning look at his wife. She answered with a perplexed look his way.

He pressed his lips together. He shouldn't expect to anticipate Lucy's disposition, and this little rebuff shouldn't hurt him.

Lorena must have sensed his unease, as she rested a hand on his arm.

"Let's give her time," she murmured, her lips hardly moving.

He squeezed her hand on his arm and brought it to his lips. Lorena was right. They have time. He's a patient man.

"It took me time to adjust too," she reminded him with a soft smile. "It's natural, and we honestly should have seen it coming."

He gave his wife a dour look. "I get the distinct feeling that she's been spooked, and Wyatt is to blame."

"I am inclined to agree," Lorena said. Flynn sighed, there wasn't really anything for him to do other than wait. Lucy would come to them when she was ready to talk, and, as always, they would be open and honest with her.

However long it would take.

He hadn't quite felt like this about someone since, well, Lorena. Not that he loved his wife any less, he learned long ago that the heart's capacity was infinite, not finite. But the intensity of his love for Lucy was almost frightening. Just as it had been back then.

He ended up marrying Lorena, and they had a child, and they will be together for all the time they had left. Was something similar in store for Lucy? He's had fleeting thoughts & he more than welcomed them.

Was Lucy thinking the same? Was that what spooked her? And she just needed some time to work through those emotions? Decide what she wanted? 

Whatever it was, he could wait for her decision, and he would accept it, even if it broke him.

Lorena reached for his face and gently lowered it so she could place a kiss on his furrowed brow. "You worry too much, dear."

"And you worry too little." He smirked at her. They've had this argument hundreds of times throughout their long lives together. He gave a heavy sigh,

"Kata has informed the others about what happened. I received a summons just before Rufus woke up."

Lorena gave him a sympathetic look. He would no doubt, insist he go alone and allow them to berate him. "They won't yell if I'm there."

Flynn smiled down at his wife. His hands found her hips and pulled her closer. "I'm too old to hide behind your skirts. Besides, you need to to look after Lucy and the children." He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

Lorena leaned her head on Flynn's chest. "The manor isn't safe, is it?"

Flynn wrapped his arms around her. "I don't think it ever was."

"Shame. I really do love it here."

Flynn agreed, but they both knew what had to be done. "I'll talk with the Elders. We can't stay here. Not with..." He trailed off when he noticed Lucy watching them from the bathroom.

"Not with my family after us." Lucy finished, her voice soft.

"The only thing you and Nicholas have in common is blood. You are nothing like him, Lucy." Lorena moved away from her husband and reached her hand out, not sure if the other woman was okay with her touching her.

Lucy took her hand.

Lorena gratefully took this invitation by gently pulling Lucy to herself.

"We don't hold your family's sins against you," she said, refraining from the impulse to run a finger down her nose and those delightful lips, strong an urge as it was.

They might have made a wrong move, throwing Lucy in the deep end too soon. But they couldn't refuse the seductive burning light that she was, and she took the plunge with them just as willingly.

Like she told Garcia: they will give her time. Whatever Lucy needed, including repeated reassurances that she is wanted, that she is worth it.

With Lucy's hand still in hers, Lorena placed it on her own chest. Her heart may have stopped beating decades ago, but she knew her gesture wasn't lost on Lucy, if her confused but adoring expression was any indication.

She made sure she held the other woman's attention when she said, "Trust our word when we say that we believe you have a good heart, Lucija. We trust you with our long lives."

When Lorena felt Lucy's heart soar and her blood sing, she couldn't hold her gaze any longer. She mirrored her spouse's actions instead, and drew the delicate hand to her lips and placed a tender kiss on her knuckles.

This mortal is bewitching with her presence alone, and Lorena wanted nothing more than to bask in her warmth. However, it was a luxury she and Garcia would have to put off on a safer time. "We need to plan our next move. Will you help us?" she asked Lucy.

Lucy looked between the two vampires and they both looked… nervous? Hopeful? Maybe Wyatt was wrong and their care for her was genuine and not due to supernatural mojo. "I'm not sure how much help I'd be. I'm new to all of this."

Lorena smiled as she beckoned her husband closer to them.

He obliged, but kept his hands clasped behind his back, not wanting to spook Lucy more than he already had. "We just need your permission to do what is necessary to keep you safe."

"And Rufus?"

Flynn grimaced, "I've already failed in that area and I deeply regret what happened to him on my watch. But rest assured that he will get all the magical protection that Jiya has at her disposal."

Lucy believed him. She had no reason not to, especially when he looked so upset at last night's events. "Last night wasn't your fault."

She lifted her hand with the bandage on it and placed it on his chest. His eyes glanced down at it before he looked at his wife.

"You'll find that Garcia loves to blame himself for things he had no control over. He likes to brood." Lorena smirked back at her husband.

"How European of you." Lucy smiled.

"Yes, well—" He was interrupted by his phone chirping. Several times. "It seems the locals are getting restless waiting for me." He reached for Lucy's hand and gently placed a kiss on her fingers.

"You have my permission," Lucy said as she watched Flynn & Lorena kiss. "For protection. Both of you."

Lucy watched as both husband & wife gave identical looks of hope and surprise. They looked so pleased and Lucy suddenly felt guilty for the pills that she had hidden away in her room.

"Excellent. I'll try to be quick." With a smile Flynn was gone.

As soon as they were left alone, Lorena turned to Lucy as if waiting for her to speak. Questions lurked in those warm and clever eyes, and Lorena knew she was burning to ask them.

She got a timid smile in return. "What happens now?" Lucy asked.

"We will see to everyone's safety first," Lorena answered without a beat. "Kata would have apprised the others of what happened. Garcia is meeting them to give them the chance to yell at him before laying out our plans."

Lucy smirked, but it was short-lived. "Are you really leaving the manor? Your home?" Her eyes were full of sorrow.

Lorena took her hands, patting them. "Don't worry, my dear," she assured her, leading them to the chaise and sitting facing each other. "This house will not be left unprotected. We will have the protection wards reinforced to make sure our small treasures will be here for you to explore again."

Lucy shook her head. "It... It's not that, I..." she blew out a breath. "It sounds ridiculous, even in my head, but... I know you and Flynn are practically impervious. My uncle has an army of vampires, and I can't help but worry since you will both be at the front lines for sure, and..."

Lorena placed her fingers near Lucy's lips, a hair breadth away. She didn't want to presume each touch will be welcomed.

Lucy's breath stuttered against them, and she saw her lower lip tremble.

"I know all of this is causing you great pain, more so at being caught in the midst. But I can assure you, Garcia and I can hold our own." She offered what she hoped was an assuring smile.

Lucy released more shuddering breaths before grabbing Lorena's hand and clutched it at her chest.

Lorena's eyes were drawn to their joined hands, then at the pulsing skin at the base of Lucy's throat. She gave in to her burning impulse and lightly ran the pad of her middle finger over the thrumming skin.

Lucy gasped loudly as if burned. Lorena started to pull her hand away, but Lucy held fast, clasping her hand in both of hers.

"My poor angel," Lorena murmured, squeezing Lucy's fingers. "I would take on a battalion of undead with my bare hands if it would ease your mind."

Lucy took in a slow breath, and Lorena's breath left hers as she watched in fascination those brown pools slowly dissolve into black.

"No," Lucy whispered, running the back of her fingers under Lorena's jaw, along the side of her neck, then slid her fingers under the collar and played with the skin there. Her fingertips burned delightful trails on Lorena's skin, then they slowly ventured along the edge of her blouse, drawing lower.

"I need to get out of my head."

Lucy’s world was stretched like a rubber band. Every part of herself pulled in different directions, whether she wanted it or not. Her family’s secrets being exposed as something horrific. Her friend getting badly wounded simply because he knew her. Having two lovers who happened to be vampires who may or may not be manipulating her…

Lorena took Lucy’s wandering hand in her own. “How far out would you like to go?”

It was probably best Lucy didn’t think about the psychological reasoning behind wanting to be taken apart by one of the very people she was supposed to be afraid of. But Lorena was just so good at doing it, and the noises were so loud in her head. If she ever hoped to solve this, she needed to clear the clutter, as it were.

“Until I say stop,” Lucy told her, moving forward to kiss the woman.

“Of course,” Lorena said before their lips met. She kept it a slow, gentle brush, making sure that this was truly what Lucy wanted.

If the Flynns were manipulating her with mind control as Wyatt said, then surely they wouldn’t bother to respect her wishes as much as they did. They even grabbed condoms, though they were pointless, just so Lucy would feel comfortable. But she wasn’t supposed to be thinking about these things, that was the point.

To just not think, only feel, as Lorena’s fingers started to undo the buttons of Lucy’s shirt, kissing down her jaw, towards her neck. Lucy remembered she never did get to properly put her mouth on Lorena’s breasts during the night, after Flynn watched Lucy get Lorena off.

“Wait,” Lucy said when she realized something.

Lorena dutifully stopped and pulled back, probably farther than she needed to, in order to give Lucy some space. The woman looked a little flustered, but no more than to be expected of someone who put the breaks on being hot and bothered.

“I just,” Lucy cleared her throat. “I realized Flynn isn’t here.”

They’d only been together a short time, the amount of times they actually had sex could be counted on one hand, but it had always been all three of them together. This was new to Lucy, she wasn’t sure what the rules where, if there were any.

“Of course.” Lorena pulled back even farther, as if she was preparing to get up. “We can wait for him to return.”

“No, I…” Lucy reached out, stopping short of actually grabbing Lorena who paused. “I want this, with you, right now. I just…” she blushed pink. “Is that allowed?”

“The short answer is yes,” Lorena said, settling back in. “There will be times like now when one of us is gone, or isn’t in the mood, or for whatever reason doesn’t wish to participate. It’s only natural. We just need to make sure we have clear communication as to our needs and desires.”

Clear communication, that would be helpful, yes. Like perhaps Lucy asking them about what Wyatt said instead of angsting over it and trying to bury herself between Lorena’s breasts to avoid thinking about it. Though, there was one question she could ask now.

“You said you both had your lovers,” Lucy said quietly. “Separate, or together?”

“Both.” Lorena gave her a little smile. “You live long enough and you realize that as much as you love someone, they can’t always give you what you need. And sometimes others will steal pieces of your heart without you looking.” Lorena sighed. “Love and sex, simple yet complicated.”

That wasn’t even half of it, but it was enough. Lucy moved back in and caught Lorena’s lips. There was a small amount of trepidation in the woman, but that vanished as Lucy made it known that is what she wanted.

Lorena’s hands went for the button on Lucy’s slacks, popping it easily. Lucy shifted so that Lorena could push them down over her hips even as Lucy attempted to unbutton Lorena’s blouse. Lucy shifted to let her slacks slide down to her ankles and Lorena took the opportunity to basically pick Lucy up with her strength. Lucy found herself with her back to Lorena’s chest, Lorena’s hand snaking down Lucy’s body.

Lucy laid her head back, mouth open in a pant, as Lorena’s deft fingers found her center with ease. The woman was merciless, and it was exactly what Lucy wanted. With one hand pinching Lucy’s nipples through her bra, the other was relentless in bringing Lucy to the edge of her orgasm and keeping her there.

The woman seemed so attuned with Lucy’s body. Just as she thought she was about to come, Lorena backed up just enough to stifle the orgasm. Then she would go right back to pushing Lucy closer and closer to the edge again. It was a wicked process that only served to wind Lucy even tighter than she already was. 

Tears began to fall from her tightly closed eyes. All she had to do was say the word and Lorena would stop, either push her over or pull her back completely, but Lucy wanted neither. This precarious position was exactly where she felt she was, in every aspect of her life, and there was a strange feeling of release being suspended in that moment, of knowing someone will catch her when she falls. 

Coiled tighter and tighter, Lucy didn’t know where her breaking point was, she only knew that she was going to snap. And when Lorena bit her neck hard after not letting up, Lucy sobbed as she came. Everything broke, all the tension that had been consuming her shattered.

Lorena eased her down, nuzzling Lucy’s neck as she murmured praises. “Feeling better now?”

“Yes,” Lucy managed, breathlessly.

The woman chuckled, proud of herself. She slipped her hand from Lucy’s underwear and just held her close as Lucy’s body was little more than jelly at this point. Lorena’s embrace was warm and, dare she say, loving, as Lorena continued to nuzzle and pet her. 

“When I get feeling back in my toes,” Lucy said, “I’m going down on you.”

“I look forward to it,” Lorena murmured, and Lucy could feel the smile against her skin. “But rest now, there will be more time for it later.”

Would there be? It was a question she still had no answers to. But for the moment, Lucy let herself bask in the afterglow. She would figure things out later… hopefully.

Jiya slowly blinked and opened her eyes. She snuggled more into Rufus's side… _Oh God, Rufus!_ She thought as she sat up. Memories of the night before slamming to the forefront of her mind.

She looked down at his sleeping form and breathed a sigh of relief. Saving him hadn't been a dream. He was gonna be ok. He was safe. She took a glance around the room & didn't find any brooding vampires or Lucy.

"Flynn left. Something about Elders. He left a note. " Rufus murmured. His eyes still shut.

Jiya glanced at the note laying besides her phone. "How are you?" She skimmed her fingers down his cheek as she spoke. He was cleaned of blood, his wounds closed and ribs bound. She knew this: she saw Kata cast healing spells on him. She even assisted her. Yet she couldn't stop touching him, feeling him move under her fingers.

"Tired. Like I went ten rounds with an angry bear. And very, very hungry." He opened one eye after a beat. "I didn't get undeaded by either of the Flynns, right?"

She smiled down at him. "No, Rufus, they didn't need to. But your injuries were so severe, we had to call a healer."

"A doctor, you mean?"

"Kata. She's far better than any expert in the medical field. The best, in fact."

"You saying I was cured by the local–"

"If you so much as think _quack doctor_ , Rufus, I might have to put a hex on you."

He blinked several times. "I'm sorry, what?"

"It's just a joke," Jiya said quickly, "you know, a saying."

Rufus wasn't sure what to make of that, after all, she wasn't exactly wrong. But memories that were just a little too far to reach, a little too blurry, made him think there was more to it.

Jiya was the most magnificent woman he had ever met. The sudden insecurity didn't fit with what he knew about her.

What did he know about her?

She was taken in by two brooding vampires. That's not exactly something one expects to find out about someone when they start dating.

They were dating, right? They hadn't actually said it out loud, but here they were.

"Jiya," he said softly, "I know that I can freak out a bit, but at the end of the day, I... I really do care about you. So much. Give me a chance to understand, and I will do whatever it takes to understand."

Jiya glanced up at him, her eyes trying to meet his and failing. "I... I'm a witch."

Rufus blinked a few times, not really registering the word. "I-I'm sorry? Did you say witch?"

"Yes." Jiya bite her bottom lip in anticipation for his freak out.

"Witch as in black cats, cauldrons, and pointy hats? That kind of a witch?"

Jiya bobbed her head from side to side a little, "Less Wicked Witch, more Wiccan. I don't have a deity that gave me my powers. It just runs in my family. I'm a pretty inept healer."

Rufus just slowly nodded along. "... My girlfriend's a witch."

Jiya's eyes lit up at his words. "I'm your girlfriend?" Her smile threatened to split her face in half.

"O-only if y-you want to be." Rufus blushed as he looked at her.

"You don't mind me being a witch?"

Rufus winced as he tried to shrug. "I, uh...I already think you're extraordinary. This just, you know, adds to the list."

Her grin could not get any bigger. Jiya felt like floating. While she was elated Rufus thinks she's his girlfriend, it meant so much to her that he was accepting a big part of her identity that she carefully kept low-key. The Flynns and the village are lovely and understanding, but this—a virtual outsider of their small circle, taking her being a witch in stride—for her, it was huge.

"There's a list of my awesomeness?" she teased, a playful finger tracing his nose. "Care to tell me about it?"

Rufus's eyes lit up in amusement, before pain shot through his side. "Ahh!"

Jiya jumped away from him and began apologizing for having leaned on his damaged ribs. "I'm supposed to be a healer and here I am hurting you more!" She said as she got off of the bed altogether. Not wanting to cause further damage.

Rufus went to reach out for her, but it hurt to stretch his arm out so far. "Jiya, can you please come closer?"

Jiya shook her head and crossed her arms and Rufus could see fear in her eyes. Fear that she might hurt him again.

He sighed and held his hand out to her. "Can you at least hold my hand? I like holding y-your hand."

Jiya's blush was almost as bad as Rufus's, but she hesitantly put her hand in his. She smiled at him, "Hand holdings a little old fashioned."

Rufus smiled, "Flynn must be rubbing off on me."

Jiya scooted a chair closer with her free hand, sitting down next to the bed.

"See," Rufus said as he rubbed a thumb across the back of her hand, "isn't this nice?"

"Yeah." Jiya smiled and that alone was enough to make him feel better, drive some of the pain away. "So, is you being a witch why you're here?" Rufus asked. He wasn't quite sure about small talk with her right now, they couldn't exactly discuss the weather. He just hoped he wasn't prying too deep, too soon.

Jiya bobbed her head. "My parents had to flee our homeland when I was young. And then my father died not too long after. It was sudden and quick. I get my magic through his family line," Jiya explained. I was attacked, for being a witch, but the Flynn's had been near and rescued me. My mother knew she couldn't protect me, nor teach me, so she asked the Flynn's to take me with them, to protect me and introduce me to other magic users. I still keep in touch with her, but leaving had been for the best."

"The world's never quite gotten past the Salem Witch Trials, huh," Rufus said, still gently stroking her hand. 

"No, they haven't," Jiya quietly agreed.

"I suppose this is where I should be all manly and tell you I will protect you." He gestured to his wounded body.

"Don't worry," Jiya smiled at him. "I'll protect you."

"Oh, thank goodness," he breathed a sigh of relief, then laughed.

Flynn stood in the middle of the room. Hands clasped behind his back with his eyes fixed on the tips of his shoes. The Elders sat, once more, in a semicircle in front of him. A quick glanced up showed that each member was glaring at him.

The situation was much more dire then he had originally thought. Nicholas hadn't sent just the one newborn. He had sent several. All of whom had attacked various places around the village.

The police station. City hall. The library. All sported broken windows and furniture. No one had died, but many innocent people had been hurt.

He had planned on taking his time walking to City hall. The Elders normally chose the large basement for their meetings. But as soon as Flynn had spotted the library and the damage it had taken he used all his speed to arrive just as Kata was retelling how she found her nephew bruised and beaten on the library steps on her way back home.

Flynn felt guilt and anger, but most of all, stupid. He _should_ have known Nicholas would do something like this. One lone newborn waiting in the wings was too easy. Too predictable, if anything. Not cruel enough for an incredibly cruel man. Flynn silently fumed, his body shaking in anger at the carelessness that Nicholas seemed to have towards innocents. He was far from the man Flynn used to call friend.

"Garcia."

Flynn looked up at Lucien. The sheriff had bruises and cuts on the left side of his face. He had fought remarkably well, according to Mirko. But Flynn knew had the wizard not been there to help in the fight, then there would have definitely been casualties.

"We know you couldn't have predicted this."

"No, but he should have." Grgur grunted. He had taken a small pack patrolling last night & stumbled upon the group of newborns attempting to break into City hall where Ivica was ironically having a late meeting with Vladimir regarding the extra security measures.

"Grgur..." Lucien said with a hint of warning in his voice. "No, Lucien. We can't continue to act as if his being here doesn't put the village in danger. Last night proved that Rittenhouse will do whatever it takes to get...whatever the hell it is that they want from him and Lorena."

Grgur stood, taking a step towards Flynn, a scowl on his face. "I had my son patrolling with me." He growled, "Now he's laying in a hospital bed, barely healing because a bunch of fangers tried to make a meal out of him!"

Flynn flinched, remembering his own child being attacked by Rittenhouse and while he never liked Grgur, he never would have wished this on him. Flynn averted his eyes once more.

"Grgur. Sit. Down." Ivica spoke this time. Her voice was full of anger and annoyance.

"What will it take for you all to understand?!? Vampires should not be welcomed here. I don't care if he and his master helped build this village. They do nothing but bring death and destruction to our home! Or have you all forgotten that he was the reason his wife was kill—"

Grgur suddenly found himself being slammed into a wall with Flynn gripping his throat. His nails dug into the side of the werewolf's neck, his eyes were a liquid golden color. He sneered at the shorter man. "How fucking dare you," he growled.

A hand landed on Flynn's shoulder. "Let him down. He's just upset." Mirko said, sounding weary and ancient.

Flynn took an unnecessary breath before tossing Grgur back across the room.

Grgur growled, his eyes glowing a vibrant shade of dark blue. His canines jutted out in the beginning stages of shifting when his body collapsed in on itself. He howled in pain before looking up at the cause.

Kata had her hand pointed towards him, her face set in a grim line. "Your family was not the only ones hurt last night. Now be a good boy and sit." She waved her hand and Grgur was flung into his chair. This time he obeyed. "Good."

Mirko walked Flynn back to the center of the room.

"Now. What do you plan to do?" Kata asked.

"Leave the village," Flynn replied. "It's the only way to avoid further casualties."

"Most sensible thing that came out of your mouth," Grgur spat.

Flynn's head whipped in the man's direction with a growl. The other man stared back defiantly.

"Grgur, by all that's sacred, be. Quiet!" Ivica hissed.

"I will muzzle that mouth if one word comes out of you!" Kata warned, and Grgur wisely kept silent.

Ivica stepped up to Flynn. He saw genuine concern in her eyes, same with Kata's.

"I will not lie that I am grateful for this decision, but, are you sure?"

"Lorena and I do not wish to leave. But it seems that as long as Rittenhouse is around then the manor is not safe for us to live. I regret that anyone was hurt because my wife and I were too stubborn to leave." Flynn made eye contact with each of them, his eyes lingering on Grgur and the werewolf reluctantly accepted the apology.

"Where will you go?" Vladimir asked, speaking for the first time.

"England. We have a secluded house in the countryside. Easy to defend. We can call in reinforcements if necessary." Flynn answered.

Vladimir raised a brow at that. "Reinforcements? I did not think you had many friends beyond this village."

Flynn smirked, "Lorena's friends. And Karl."

Kata's eyes lit up at the mention of the young vampire, "Where is Karl? I would have thought he would have been your first call."

"He's in America, doing God knows what. Last we heard he was going to make his way here and knowing him, he's taking the long way 'round."

Kata chuckled as she thought about the mischievous vampire, before a thought occurred to her, "What of your human companions?"

"They'll be joining us." Flynn was still weary of letting them know about Lucy and her connection to Rittenhouse.

"In that case, Kata and I should send along some supplies for Jiya to take for her young man. Once Karl arrives we'll give him a care package of stronger potions and such." Mirko added.

"Thank you." Flynn nodded at Mirko.

"Safe travels, my friend," Lucian said, a weariness to his voice. "I hope that one day yet you will be able to live here in the peace and tranquility you so wish to have."

"As do I," Flynn replied with reverence. Despite any conflicts he had with the council, most he could call friends, some even dear friends. And the manor was his home, where he put his life back together, where he started a family... where he met Lucy.

"I fear," Lucian sighed, "that peace may never be had until all of Rittenhouse's blood is wiped from this earth."

Flynn's throat tightened and he was sure his unbeating heart skipped. Lucy was of Rittenhouse blood...

No, she wasn't her family. She was a good and decent person. He loved her... and maybe, just maybe she loved him and Lorena with the same intensity.

But it was clear now. The council could never know that Lucy was Rittenhouse, perhaps even after he took out Nicholas and everyone else.

Kata caught his eye and Flynn got the distinct feeling that she knew. 

Grgur slowly stood, his eyes flickering over to Kata for permission. With a slight nod from the older woman, he walked over to Flynn. Glaring at the much older man.

"I can send a couple uninjured pack members to help secure your path. I assume you'll be using the woods?"

Flynn nodded. The woods were the safest and quickest path out of the village. "I wouldn't want any more of your people getting hurt because of me."

Grgur held back from rolling his eyes, but just barely. "I respect and care for Lorena and Jiya. Your human companions are also under my protection by default. I don't hate you enough for forgo protocol. We have to secure the woods, anyhow."

"I'd appreciate it." Flynn accepted and Grgur grunted in response before exiting the room.

Kata and Mirko walked up to him. "Walk with us. All the supplies are in my cafe."

At the manor, Lorena, Lucy and Jiya were busy packing up.

"Aye you sure Rufus would be up for travelling?" Lucy asked from her place on the chaise as she helped fold the clothes Lorena dumped there.

After Lorena had told her, Jiya went to her room and started packing. She and Lucy would be packing Rufus' and Lucy's things later.

"We'll know more once Kata examines him," Lorena replied as she sorted hers and Garcia's things in one luggage. "She's preparing some potions we will bring with us for Rufus."

She paused at sensing Lucy's still erratic pulse.

"Don't worry, my dear," she cooed, patting Lucy's thigh. "We'll do our best to keep all of you safe."

"I know," Lucy acknowledged in a breathless whisper. Lorena had to turn away from her flushed expression, or she'll have her way with Lucy again. And again.

Lorena didn't know if the universe was being kind or cruel to her and Garcia to be gifted with the existence of this delightful creature they couldn't seem to get enough of—yet still not really have.

It wasn't a question of possessing Lucy like some pretty trinket, no. She was much more than that.

Lucy was their Light. Sure, they've met people in their lives where they thought they were the warmth they needed in their lives, and disappointed them in the end.

And Lucy's incandescence was so intense, so alluring, Lorena was almost certain that if they let her go, she and Garcia would never be the same.

But they would not be cruel. If Lucy's happiness lay elsewhere, they will not stand in the way of that.

Even if it meant leaving a void in their own long lives.

Lorena snapped back to attention as Jiya dropped a blanket full of weapons on the bed. She raised a brow at the young witch. "Really, dear?"

Jiya just smiled back at her, "Sorry. But which ones are we taking? And can I pick one?"

Lucy stood off to the side watching them pick through the small collection.

"Hmm. Perhaps the sword and axe? We have weapons in England." Lorena muttered as she picked out her weapons of choice.

Jiya fondly rolled her eyes at the vampire. "You guys have guns in England. Not awesome swords or axes or even this!" Jiya had picked up a mace and shook it in Lorena's face to demonstrate the coolness of it.

She was quick to snatch it out of Jiya's hand with a disapproving look. " _This_ is not a toy."

"Do I get to pick?" Lucy asked as she observed the various weapons. Curiosity and awe colored her features. Lorena looked from Lucy to the weapons on her bed and felt a wave of arousal at the thought of her handling one of the swords. Remembering how Garcia had touched her as he taught her how to properly wield one.

"We don't want you to kill yourself. You're quite clumsy." A voice from the doorway said.

All three women turned to find Flynn leaning against the doorframe with a duffel bag hanging from his shoulder. A smile tugged at his lips.

"I think Lucy would make a kickass warrior." Jiya said with encouragement towards Lucy. "Or if you want, I can teach you a few spells."

"You will do no such thing. Remember when you tried to teach Dave a spell?" Lorena sighed.

"But he didn't die, so that's a plus." Jiya mumbled. "Is that for me?" She pointed at the bag.

"Everything a healer might need to help an injured soul travel."

Jiya's eyes lit up. "From Kata? Cool!" She went to relieve Flynn of the duffel. "She wrote down the recipes and all for the other potions, right?"

Flynn nodded. "It's all in there." It always amused him to see her enthusiasm.

He turned his gaze to his wife and their lover, briefly assessing. Lucy's distress simmered just beneath the surface, but seemed otherwise calm. Lorena, too. He then sniffed the air, and caught a familiar scent. He cocked a brow at his wife, who only blinked innocently at him.

Well. He'll have his chance, if Lucy lets him, but he felt some sense of relief that Lorena was here for Lucy.

_'Maybe Lucy felt more at ease with Lorena than with you,'_ his treacherous mind supplied.

He shoved that thought away. It didn't matter if that was the case. As long as either of them can give what Lucy needed at any given time, that was good enough for him.

He turned his mind to their present situation. "I've asked Kata to drop by later in the afternoon to look into Rufus," he announced. "Depending on when she thinks he's well enough to travel, then we leave soon after."

Lorena gave a nod and aimed a sad smile his way. Upset that they did, in fact, have to leave their home because of Rittenhouse… again.

Flynn tried his best to give her a reassuring smile, but it fell short of its goal. He hadn't told her of the other attacks yet. He knew he'd have to tell everyone about it before they left.

"Garcia? What's wrong?" Lorena asked. Something had happened, she could tell.

Flynn looked at the women before him, but locked eyes with Lucy. "Nicholas sent more newborns than just the one that was here. They attempted to attack and destroy the library, city hall, and the police station. But the people in this village are dangerous on their own...No one but the newborns were killed."

Lucy sucked in a breath, shocked that Nicholas would do such a thing… but… all of this, was because of him.

Lorena growled at the idea that the town was attacked. This was her home. She was married here, gave birth to Iris here, she... died here and was turned.

Flynn put a calming hand on her shoulder. "I trusted Nicholas long ago, and I've underestimated him and those he keeps around him. But not anymore. I will end this."

Lorena nodded, the age old debate of just how much he was to be blamed (which wasn't any in Lorena's opinion) could wait another day. They needed to pack up.

"We've collected documents in the past, regarding Rittenhouse," Lorena reminded him. "We should bring them and go over them again. There is perhaps something we missed."

"Of course."

Lorena left and Flynn didn't follow, he knew she needed a moment to herself to process her emotions.

He turned to Lucy whose jaw was tight. "This is because of me. If I hadn't come here, then I never would have led Nicholas to you."

"He would have come regardless," Flynn assured her. "But if fighting him meant meeting you, then it will have been worth it."

Jiya stood by the dresser, arms crossed and a curious expression on her face as she watched Flynn and Lucy. She knew that Flynn and Lorena took lovers from time to time, but never had she ever seen them be so in love with anyone but each other. She had noticed it earlier in Lorena when they began packing and seeing it bow in Flynn just drove the point home.

The Flynns were deeply in love with Lucy.

She cleared her throat to remind them that she was still in the room.

Flynn looked at Jiya before his eyes shifted to the dagger that was still on the dresser. "We should take Sting. Lucy or Rufus would benefit from having it around."

Jiya nodded and went about sheathing it. "So what's the exit plan?"

"We'll leave through the woods. Grgur and a few pack members will assist us. Once we reach the next town, we make our way further east and if Nicholas hasn't had us killed by then, we get on the next available flight to England."

"Ever the optimist, my love." Lorena said as she made her way back into the room, having calmed down significantly.

"That's me. Positivity personified." Flynn deadpanned.

"Let's finish packing. Kata should be arriving any moment. Regardless of what she says, we should leave after she checks on Rufus." Lorena suggested.

Lucy wrapped her arms around Flynn's waist and leaned her head against his chest. Flynn hesitantly wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"I'm scared," she whispered into the fabric of his shirt.

"I know, _draga_ ," he murmured into her hair in turn.

Flynn didn't know what else to say. He wanted to reassure her, tell her it will be alright. But he had his own fears, and most of them are in this room.

"I would rather die than let anything happen to any of you," he added.

"We'll make sure it doesn't come to that," Lorena chimed in, coming up behind Lucy with a hand over Garcia's.

"That's right," Jiya cheerfully added, clinging to Flynn's bicep. "I know you love your overly grand gestures, but don't make Lucy cry before you two took her out on a proper date."

He stiffened, with a sidelong glance at Jiya. "Brat." 

"I'll take that as a compliment," Jiya smiled.

Lucy laughed despite herself, then clearer her throat and straightened up. "We should get to packing."

"Yes," Lorena sighed, eyes glancing around the room.

"You want help with Rufus' stuff?" Jiya asked Lucy.

"I would, actually,"

Lucy said. "I have plenty of my own things to pack up."

She really had started to make herself at home in the manor, with the Flynns, and that sudden realization almost startled her.

"We all have our tasks," Flynn agreed. "We carry only what we immediately need. The Rittenhouse papers and other bulky items we can have shipped along."

Lucy nodded, slipping out of his grasp, somewhat reluctantly. She then followed Jiya out of the room, leaving Lorena and Flynn to pack their personal belongings... and talk.

"We truly are lost to that woman," Lorena said.

“Yes," Flynn breathed deeply.

"We have to keep her safe," she added.

Flynn watched the door that Lucy left through. "Whatever it takes."

Lucy walked to her room and closed the door behind her. She leaned against it as she took a deep breath. She didn't actually have to pack, as she hadn't brought much with her to begin with. But she wanted to retrieve the pills. Lucy had hid them in her suitcase.

Maybe she didn't need them. Maybe Wyatt was just misguided in his concerns. If he was concerned at all. Perhaps the Flynns weren't using their powers. They haven't given her reason to actually think so. _'Damn,'_ Lucy thought. She was developing a migraine.

Her phone suddenly rang and she jumped, in surprise. The noise rang loudly in the quiet room. She took a couple steps towards her shoulder bag when the tune suddenly registered in her mind.

Her mother's ringtone.

For a brief moment she considered calling out to Flynn or Lorena, but stopped herself. She picked up the phone.

"Mother?" She hesitantly said.

"Hello, Lucy."

A chill ran down her spine and Lucy swallowed hard. The urge to call out to the Flynns resurfaced. But again, she pushed it down. "Nicholas."

"You're difficult to get a hold of. That Rufus knows how to hide a phone."

Lucy's shock and fear was quickly replaced with anger at what had been done to Rufus. "You son-of-a-bitch. You could have killed him."

Nicholas sighed, "What happened to Rufus was… regrettable. But necessary. I only want you home, safe."

Lucy rolled her eyes. He sounded so different from the man she used to call Uncle. This man was a stranger to her and she felt sick to the stomach knowing the truth. About him. About her family.

She had so many questions. So many things she wanted to say and yell, but her mind kept coming back to one particular question. "Why are you doing this?"

He clicked his tongue, a habit she remembered he did when not knowing how to explain something. "A story for another time..." He decided to change the subject. "Your new friends are charming, aren't they? Garcia seems particularly fond of you." His voice sounded strained. Like he was holding his tongue.

"The Flynns care about me. They haven't lied to me. Unlike you and Mother ha—"

"I HAVE NEVER LIED TO YOU!" Nicholas roared into the phone, scaring her into silence. He took a deep breath. "You know who you sound like? Amy. And we all know how her disobedience was rewarded."

Lucy gasped at the mention of her sister. She had disappeared while Lucy was at school. Her Mother had told her that she and Amy had gotten into a fight and that she ran away, but now Lucy had a feeling that Nicholas was to blame.

"And you just accepted that she ran away," Nicholas laughed at her. "You gave up on your sister."

Lucy was trembling. After Amy ran off she had tried to get in touch with her, left voicemails, but had she really tried? Lucy was wrapped up in everything with Wyatt and she just assumed that Amy would contact her when she was ready.

Days turned into weeks, into months... and Lucy did nothing.

"I think we're more alike than you want to admit," Nicholas said darkly.

"NO!" Lucy screamed into the phone.

Seconds later, her door was thrown open, Flynn rushing in, checking the room with superhuman speed as Lorena grabbed her.

"Are you okay?" Lorena said breathless. "You screamed."

Lucy was still trembling, looking at her phone which showed that the call had been disconnected.

The Flynns looked at her, worried. How could she tell them the truth?

There was only 'monster' in this manor... and it was her.

She had done this. She brought pain and suffering to the people around her. First the Flynns, then Rufus, and now, it seems Amy, too. All she did was love them, in her own way, and they got hurt. Taken from her.

Lucy never felt so helpless.

She needed to get away, take the pain with her and away and—

Her spinning thoughts were interrupted by strong hands firmly but not roughly gripping her by the shoulders.

" _Draga_ , look at me."

Lucy looked up at the powerful creature in front of her. Flynn's green eyes held, nothing but concern for her. Concern that she didn't deserve.

"What's happened?" Flynn asked, giving her just the tiniest shake, to snap her out of whatever state she was in.

She opened her mouth to tell him when his eyes suddenly flashed yellow and a scowl flashed across his face for a brief second. She was quick to avert her eyes. Perhaps Wyatt was correct in assuming the Flynns used their powers on her.

"Lucy?" She heard Lorena from behind her and felt her arms snake around her waist.

Should she tell them? Would they think she's conspiring against them? Did they trust her? Or were they using her to get back at Nicholas? Did she care if they were?

"I… I saw a spider."

Flynn blinked a few times, "A spider."

"Yes. It was huge. I'm scared of spiders, and then you two showed up. It startled me."

Flynn made eye contact with Lorena. They knew she was lying. Could hear it. Not to mention she had a horrible poker face.

"Forgive us. You did scream and we're on high alert at the moment." Lorena said just before placing a quick kiss on Lucy's neck.

Flynn narrowed his eyes at Lucy, but he didn't plan on pushing for information. "Yes… Speaking of being on alert, Grgur and Kata are outside. I can hear him trampling all over my flowers."

With that, Flynn left to let their guests in.

Lucy looked after Flynn's hastily retreating form, feeling the hurt in his wake. _'I'm so sorry, Flynn...'_

She turned to Lorena, caught the searching gaze there. Lucy pasted on a smile, straightening.

"Flowers?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

"It boggles the mind, I know. The image of a big, imposing man hunching over a delicate flower," Lorena answered with a knowing smile. "And I'm sure, knowing what he is, adds to the confusing image, no?"

Lorena walked to Lucy's favorite spot in the room, and perched by the low window, gazing down to where Flynn was likely meeting the newcomers.

"Garcia grew up with his mother and grandparents in another village near the coast," Lorena went on, eyes far away but fond. "Grew up on a farm. He loved taking care of the animals. He even claimed that they adored him. The chickens would follow him around, the horses would nudge him for pets."

Lucy had to smile at the image of a young Garcia, a boy with a brilliant smile and running around with farm animals.

Then Lorena's face clouded over. "That all changed when he was turned. Animals have an intuition about these things. Most would sense the darkness in him and turn away."

"That... that must have been terrible." Lucy couldn't even begin to fathom it, though she was starting to wonder why Lorena was telling her this.

"It broke his heart, indeed," Lorena acknowledged, gaze still lingering outside the window. "And while he acquired companions in his years before we met, not all of them believed or wanted the benefit of his caring soul.

“Someone showed him their garden one day, in the early days of their courtship. He loved it, all the lovely blooms around them, the air filled with their lovely scent. He came to see her whenever he could, on the pretense of studying the various species that grew there, until that pretense became true, and she let Garcia help her in caring for it. He never plucked a bloom from there. He said that he was content to watch them grow under his care."

A feeling of comforting warmth came over Lucy by the end of Lorena's tale. "Why are you telling me this?" she had to ask.

Lorena's lips twitched, as if expecting her query. "Because I want you to understand that despite what we've become, the lengths we took in order to survive this long, we will always fight, we will always remind each other of the humanity in our core."

Everything about the Flynn's were contradictions. But was that really so bad?

Damn Wyatt getting into her head. And Nicholas, too.

"Would you like me to stay and help you pack?" Lorena asked. "In case the spider comes back?"

Lucy flushed pink, wondering if she should come clean about the phone call. She knew she couldn't trust Nicholas, but did that automatically mean she could trust the Flynns? Her gut said yes but there were too many unknowns, and she hated unknowns, not being in control.

"I'm good, thank you," she answered. "It won't surprise me this time."

"Okay," Lorena said softly, not pushing her, even though the woman must suspect something wasn't right. Lorena then headed for the door.

"Lorena," Lucy stopped her. "Can I ask a question?"

"Of course," Lorena turned back to her.

Lucy needed to know, without doubt, if she could trust the Flynns, both with her heart and with finding her sister, if she was even still alive.

She cleared her throat, "Why do your eyes flash sometimes?"

Lorena was puzzled for a moment, before realization rippled through her face and she let out a chuckle, "Oh! The yellowish, amber color."

Lucy nodded and waited for an explanation. Hoping, at least that she'd get one. She wouldn't want to force it out of them. Didn't know if she could, if she tried.

"It sometimes happens when we feel intensely about something. If we're angry or in a particularly lusty mood." Lorena smiled at Lucy and licked her lips.

"Oh?" Lucy swallowed hard, "Does that happen often?"

"Recently whenever you're near." She took half a step closer. She could hear Lucy's heart pick up speed.

Over Lucy's shoulder, Lorena watched as Flynn silently entered the room again, hands folded in front of himself as he leaned against the doorjamb.

Lucy was breathing heavily. She could smell Lorena's perfume...or maybe it was her natural scent. "Does it… also happen when you use your… powers?" She struggled to ask.

Lorena stopped moving and considered the question for a moment. "...Yes. I suppose it does. I've never really thought about it." She glanced at her husband for confirmation.

Flynn pushed himself away from the door. "Yes," he answered softly, hoping not to startle Lucy too much. "But only if we're over exerting ourselves. Mine must have flashed earlier when I heard Grgur and Kata outside. I was using as much power as I could to hear everything. You scared me when you screamed."

"I hadn't meant to." Lucy gave a shy smile over her shoulder.

"Is this why you've been looking away whenever I try to make eye contact? You didn't know what it meant?"

Lucy looked between the powerful creatures. She didn't want to tell them about Wyatt's words of warning… But maybe...

"Nicholas called me… on my phone."

Flynn and Lorena both tensed and moved closer to Lucy, hoping to share their strength with her. "Are you alright? What did he say to upset you?" Flynn asked, concerned.

"He said a lot of things. Said you two are very charming when you want to be." She answered.

Lorena was quicker than her husband in understanding what that meant and cursed under her breath. "He made you believe that we're using our powers of persuasion to lure you into our bed."

Flynn scoffed at the absurdity.

But, as he peered closer, he seemed to have seen something in Lucy's eyes that gave him pause. His shoulders sagged.

"You believe him," he concluded in a flat tone.

Not Nicholas, per se, but... "No! Y—" She clutched the side of her head. "I don't know what to believe anymore!"

She turned her back on the couple.

Lucy wanted to believe them, with all her heart. Not just because of how they made her feel, sexually and emotionally. She was just so fucking tired of being used and abused.

Lorena and Flynn both took a step back from her. Neither wanted to crowd her with their presence. Their eyes locked over Lucy's head, a silent conversation passed between them.

"Lucy...We've never used our powers against you. I....understand if you don't believe us." Flynn said as he crossed his arms across his chest.

He didn't know the words to use or what to really do in this particular situation. He adored Lucy. A lot. And he knew Lorena did as well.

"We'd walk around blind folded if it'd make you trust us." Lorena started, "We trusted Nicholas once. We made him our daughter's godfather. That's how much we used to trust him. He betrayed that trust when he tried to kill Iris. Please don't let him get to you."

Lucy looked Lorena in the eye before doing the same with Flynn. "I think he might have killed my sister, Amy."

"Oh, Lucy," Lorena reached out for her but stalled, unsure if it would be welcome.

Flynn grew incensed, his eyes flashing in his anger. This didn't go unnoticed by Lucy who saw it happen, though he was looking away from her. "I'm going to rip his head from his body," he growled.

"Get in line," Lorena said darkly, her eyes flashing at some memory that played in her mind.

Flynn pulled out his phone and started to send a message.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked.

"Texting some of my contacts, see if we can find your sister..." he swallowed. "Or find out what happened to her."

Lucy hadn't even asked yet for their help. "Thank you," she stumbled out.

"Do not thank me yet," he replied. "Let's see what I can dig up first. I will have more resources in London."

"You should contact Karl," Lorena added.

"Yes," he nodded, somewhat pensive. "He never answered my last message."

"It is Karl," Lorena reminded him, then glanced at Lucy. "Karl may not be as old as Garcia, but he's still quite old school about things. Didn't take well to the digital age."

"Which makes him very good at his job," Flynn retorted.

"Everyone better be dressed," Jiya said as she popped her head into Lucy's room, hand covering her eyes.

"We're all fully clothed," Lorena deadpanned.

"Okay, good." Jiya put her hand down. "Kata is done. Rufus is good to move."

Jiya smiled as she delivered the good news, but faltered as she fully took in the scene before her. "Is everything alright? What did Flynn do?"

Flynn opened his mouth to answer before he shut it with a snap. "What makes you think I did something?"

Jiya rolled her eyes, "You always do something."

"So it's me by default? What if Lorena did something?"

Jiya, Lorena, and Lucy all gave Flynn a look and he gave a tiny pout. "Rude, but fair." He huffed out. "It was Nicholas."

Jiya's eyes darkened at the mention of the seemingly immortal man. "We'll add it to the list of things he's done."

"We'll let Lucy explain, if she wants." Lorena said as she hesitantly placed her hand on Lucy's arm, not knowing how to touch her at the moment.

"Grgur?" Flynn asked.

"Waiting downstairs with some pack mates in wolf mode." Jiya answered.

Flynn acknowledged it with a nod. "If Rufus is able to, then we'll leave in an hour."

"Cool. I'll let the gang know." With a worried look towards Lucy, Jiya left.

Lorena tilted her head to try to peer in the other woman's face. "Lucy?"

She didn't move. Lorena shot a worried glance at her husband.

He took a small step. "I know you feel... uncertain, of our feelings for you right now," he said slowly. "And you have every right to be. We will honor your wishes, whatever they may be. But right now, all of our lives are in danger, but Lorena and I will do our utmost to keep everyone safe.

"I hope you can at least believe in that," Flynn added in an almost-whisper.

Lucy looked between them, and tried to listen to her head, her gut, and her heart. They weren't completely in agreement, but she couldn't deny that she wanted, and needed, to stay with the Flynns.

Even if Wyatt and Nicholas were right, and they only wanted to use her, then she could use them, and find out what happened to Amy. She was more important now.

"I just need a few more minutes," she told Flynn, "and I'll be ready."

He nodded at her, unable to hide the wounded expression in his eyes. It hurt him that she didn't trust him. And it hurt her to know she hurt him.

She was left alone to finish packing. When she was done, the gnawing feeling only got worse.

What was love without trust?

"Fuck," she cursed at herself. What had she done?

Lucy grabbed the pills Wyatt gave her and went into the bathroom. Her hand hovered over the toilet, then she paused.

She didn't need them to know she could trust the Flynns, but what if they were attacked? It was only a matter of when, not if. They may come in useful, to her, or Rufus.

Could she destroy such a resource?

Back in her room, she slipped the pills back into their hiding place.

"You ready?" Flynn asked, a few minutes later, standing respectfully at the door.

Lucy glanced around. "Yes, I have everything I need."

Pulling her luggage behind her, she walked up to Flynn. She stood on her toes to get as even height as she could with him. "And everything I want."

She kissed him, gently, apologetically, and he melted against her. How could this supernatural creature be manipulating her when he was so clearly helpless against her.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," Lucy said quietly.

"Never apologize for being human," he replied, gently caressing her face.

She wrapped her arms around him tight and they held each other for a long moment. It felt so right, the only thing missing was Lorena's soft weight behind her.

" _Draga_ , we need to go," he said regretfully. Between them, they carried what luggage she was taking with, and what would be sent along later, down to the entry hall. Everyone was there, including a bunch of werewolves that shouldn't have surprised Lucy, she knew they existed, but still... seeing is believing.

Lucy went toLorena and kissed her, asking forgiveness in the act. It was easily granted as the woman pulled her close.

Grgur cleared his throat. "Are we leaving or not?"

"We're leaving," Flynn said gravely.

A few minutes later and Lucy was walking down the steps of the manor with Flynn and Lorena. She would miss the place and all the wonders within, but so long as she was with them... wherever she went would feel like home.


	6. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [#FlynnFriday imagine](https://twitter.com/thalia_msr/status/1347481759445872640): In order to stay under the radar and away from Rittenhouse, the Flynn's take their human companions to a secluded manor in the English country side. There, Lucy and Rufus are introduced to Stiv.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moodboard by the ever-lovely TheaLocksly. ^_^
> 
> There's a bonus smut scene that's not included in our Twitter roundrobin. If a hot threesome is not your thing, just look out for the gifs of Lucy drinking tea for the start and end of the scene. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The trip across Europe had been tense. Vampires didn't have to sleep, and so Lucy spent the three nights alone in bed as the Flynn's focused their attention on keeping her and the others safe.

There was no time to stop and admire the countryside and the history therein. The drive took a winding path to avoid being followed or ambushed. They chartered a private boat to take them across the channel, the captain someone they had known a long time.

But eventually they made it to their destination. It was just as lovely as the manor they had fled. "This is where we raised Iris," Lorena said softly as they walked up the stairs. "After..."

Lucy put a comforting hand on her, which the woman appreciated. One day Lucy would learn the full details of what happened that night, but she wouldn't press for them. "This is Garcia and mine's room." Lorena stopped at an open door.

Lucy peeked in, finding all the regular trappings of a couple's bedroom, including a nice big bed.

"It could be our bedroom," Lorena added, hopeful, but not completely confident. "But if you would like your own–"

"Which side of the closet do I get?" Lucy smiled at the woman, taking her hand and walking into the room.

"Lucy..."

She turned to face Lorena fully, grabbing both of the woman's hands before planting a gentle kiss to her lips. Lorena responded after Lucy's kisses became heated, tugging gently from the other's grip to wrap her arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

Lucy drew back slightly. "I want to stay with you," Lucy whispered against Lorena's cheek, close to her ear. "With you and Garcia. I'm not sure what happens next, and it scares the hell out of me, but I think I'm sure... of this."

Lorena smiled, nuzzling Lucy's temple. "I'm glad," she replied at length. "You must be tired. Would you like to rest for a little while?"

Lucy leaned into Lorena and smiled, "Sleep is the furthest thing from my mind." The saucy smile she gave was enough to tempt any creature. "But don't you need to sleep?"

"We can go weeks without sleep. It's not unheard of, my dear." Lorena brushed a kiss against Lucy's neck. Her tongue dragged across her jugular.

"I am more than willing to let you take me, here and now, but you and Garcia should sleep." Lucy sighed and pulled Lorena onto the bed. "We can nap and cuddle."

Lorena softly chuckled, she was an odd one, this Lucy. But in an extremely adorable way. "I'd love to cuddle with you."

Lorena watched Lucy settle herself before she laid behind her and tangled herself around her, effectively making Lucy the little spoon.

Lorena felt a presence and turned to see Garcia in the doorway. Suitcases in his hands.

"Oh, I see. I do all the heavy lifting, while you two have all the fun." He smirked at the women before he deposited his burdens by the closet.

Lucy giggled and the vampires felt even more smitten with her. "Join us, then." Lucy reaches out her hand.

Flynn reached and took her hand. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss against it. "I want to. Truly. But I have matters that I must attend to."

Lorena raised a brow at her husband, "Serious matters?"

Flynn's smirk fell away and he looked beyond tired. "I have to speak with Grgur's cousin. Inform her pack that we'll be staying. And then… well..."

Lorena sat up in bed and eyed Flynn warily, "What is it?"

"It seems your daughter refused to let Stiv watch over her and rescinded his invitation."

Lorena sighed heavily, "Why is it that when she acts out, she's MY daughter?"

"Because you're the one she takes after when she acts out." Flynn leaned over Lucy and placed a kiss on Lorena's cheek.

"Oh? And her being overly dramatic is, what? A trait she acquired all on her own?" Lorena snarked, but moved to wrap herself once more around Lucy. "Is she at least safe?"

Flynn nodded with a smile, "Iris can take care of herself. I'd prefer her to have the extra protection, but Stiv assured me she was safe. He's on his way here. I'm to meet him at the train station after I deal with the pack."

"Very spy-like." Lucy commented, her eyes closed.

"Stiv is almost as dramatic as our Garcia." Lorena replied.

Flynn scoffed, but said nothing. They knew she was right. He'd gladly wear the drama queen crown. He looked at the two women in his bed and smiled, "I suppose a few minutes wouldn't hurt," he said just before he crawled in on Lucy's other side. Trapping her in a vampire sandwich.

"Rufus and Jiya?" Lucy asked.

"I carried Rufus to bed. It was very romantic, but he didn't appreciate it." Flynn pouted.

"Poor baby," Lorena smirked.

"He's sleeping and Jiya is making dinner. Soup, I think. Now hush, I am trying to nap." Flynn placed his arms around Lorena and somehow managed to pull her closer. His legs tangled with hers and Lucy's.

Lucy leaned up and kissed his neck before she settled her head against his chest. Flynn & Lorena locked eyes as Lucy drifted off. Was this love?

Something inside him burned with hope and fear. He wants this, knows Lorena does, too. He wants this for Lucy, but with Rittenhouse hanging over their heads, a lingering threat to their existence, Flynn didn't want her life at risk because she chose them.

"Lucy's right," Lorena's soft voice invaded his musings, "you do look a little tired." He felt her hands on his head, playing with his hair.

"You're thinking too loud," she added with a small grin, but there's no mistaking the question in her eyes.

He gave a low chuckle at being caught. "Just thinking about what we have." He glanced down at Lucy's sleeping form.

A few hours later, Lorena blinked open her eyes. She was in the middle of the bed. Alone. She closed her eyes and listened to the noises inside the house.

The kitchen then.

Another few minutes went by as she freshened up and headed to where everyone was gathered.

Lucy, Rufus, and Jiya were all eating the soup that Jiya had made. Well, Jiya and Lucy were eating, Rufus was moving it around with his spoon.

"You won't get better if you don't eat," Jiya said with her mouth full.

"Jiya! I taught you better manners than that," Lorena chided her with a raised brow. Jiya promptly closed her mouth while Rufus and Lucy snickered at her.

"Good." Lorena stepped behind Lucy and placed a kiss on her head. "Where's Garcia?"

"He went to go see the werewolf pack an hour ago. You both overslept." Lucy said with a smile up at the beautiful vampire.

"I guess it was a good thing that you forced us to nap, then. The pack leader is probably going to interrogate him and Garcia is a grump when he's tired."

Lucy and Lorena shared a laugh at that and locked eyes. Their gaze was full of heat and it took all their will power not to rip each other's clothes off then and there.

Rufus watched them mentally undress each other and rolled his eyes. "Get a room, people are trying to eat." He then forced himself to take a spoonful of soup into his mouth.

"A couple more nights of me healing him and he should be good as new." Jiya said into her bowl. She wasn't used to healing magicks and it was taking much longer to help Rufus then she liked.

"I prefer a couple weeks in pain compared to the months it'd take for me to heal naturally." Rufus reached out and took her hand.

"I'll get better at this. I promise."

"Jiya, it's fine. You're amazing." Rufus smiled at her and he seemed to get lost in her eyes.

"We're not the only ones that need to get a room." Lucy teased causing the two to blush.

Jiya was the first to recover and cleared her throat, "The wards are up."

"That's good to hear." Lorena nodded approvingly.

"Um," Rufus glanced between them. "Same wards that really didn't help us last time?"

He had expected an annoying backlash, but all he got was a sigh from Lorena. "After we came here, after... what happened, Garcia was terribly paranoid. He spent a few small fortunes on warding spells, talisman's, witch's craft, you name it."

"This place is like Fort Knox," Jiya added. "The manor was... more like a Denny's."

"It wasn't that bad," Lorena scolded, but there didn't seem to be any heat in it. "But yes, it was supposed to be..." she sighed. "It was supposed to be quiet retirement, or as close as a vampire could get."

"And it went well," Lucy said quietly, "until I came along."

"Don't think like that, Lucy," Lorena took her hand. "Nicholas can't seem to let anything go. He would have found us eventually. And you would still be in your family's clutches."

"I suppose," the historian didn't seem to completely accept it, but pain heals over time.

Garcia glanced at his watch. It was almost 7pm. He gave a soundless sigh, but the annoyed look from the werewolf in front of him indicated that it was heard. He wanted to go home and cuddle with Lorena and Lucy.

"Can we hurry this along? I have people waiting for me," he complained.

The werewolf in front of him snarled at him. "Not our fault you've decided to return without proper warning."

Garcia rolled his eyes. "A simple phone call would be just as effective. You didn't have to send someone to search for her.”

"She's on a hunt with the pack's younger members. She left her phone." With that, the werewolf turned away from the vampire and continued to ignore him.

Garcia just shook his head and stood up from the couch. He took a small turn around the room, aware that the werewolf was wary of him. He had only ever been in this house three times since first moving in the area back in 1923. First time when he and Lorena had introduced themselves. The second was when the Alpha had passed the burden down to his son. And the last time when Grgur's cousin defeated the Alpha in a fight, effectively becoming the new Alpha.

It was a good and fair fight. The new leader was shaping up to be the best this pack has had in decades. She was also more than willing to take in any lone wolves looking for a pack. And no, he wasn't jealous of that one time she hit on Lorena and successfully stole his wife away for some time. Longest few weeks of his life.

The door burst open then and a scrawny teenager ran in with a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. He looked at Garcia and then to the other werewolf in the room. "She said to allow him free roam. Him and his companions."

The other werewolf just growled. "She's making a mistake."

The teenager just held out the paper to him. "She said you'd say that." Once the older one had the paper, the teen turned to Garcia, "On behalf of our Alpha, we welcome you back home. However, she does request that you meet with her once she's returned."

Garcia bowed his head slightly at the younger werewolf, liking him instantly for his politeness. "She can visit whenever she likes or a phone call to set up a meeting would be fine." Garcia turned to the other one in the room and noticed that he looked much paler then he had moments before.

 _'What was in that note?'_ He wondered as he walked past the teenager and out the front door.

The moon was full in the sky and he smiled as he heard howling in the distance, coming from various places. Hopefully, this place would be much safer than the Manor. He sighed thinking about it. He really needed to ward that place better.

He was engrossed so in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the figure walking towards him and barely registered it as they walked past him. Until he caught a whiff of… something. He stopped and looked behind him, but no one was there. He recognized that scent… from where, he couldn't remember, but he knew it.

"Garcia!"

He yelped as he turned back around and saw Stiv standing there, hands in his pockets.

"Stiv, did you see… nevermind. What are you doing here? I thought you'd take longer to get here."

Stiv eyed his child for a moment and noted the paranoid look in his eye. But given the circumstances, he ignored it. "I decided to run here. Faster then taking the train."

"Run. From Italy. We're in London." Garcia pointed out.

"And you get a gold star for knowing geography. I took a plane in France, genius. Something is happening over there and I didn't want to get caught up in it."

Garcia began walking again with his mentor by his side, "Something vampire related?"

Stiv shrugged. "Not sure. A lot of people are dying. Whatever is responsible is making too much noise to be ignored by humans."

Garcia shook his head, "Great. Like we don't have enough problems. Is this thing a threat to Iris?"

"It hasn't moved outside of France. I doubt it will. It's found its hunting ground."

"France and Italy share a border," Flynn pointed out.

"You really should have become a cartographer," Stiv replied dryly. "I have men watching, gathering intel. If it moves south, I'll know."

He knew Iris could take care of herself. With her healing ability, his stubbornness, and her mother's ruthlessness, he never worried about her safety. But with Nicholas and whatever this new thing was...

"You should be in France," he pointed out. "Taking care of whatever this thing is before it becomes a problem for all of us."

Stiv put a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't even see me coming." Stiv squeezed just a bit to make the point that it could have been a weapon. "You're distracted."

Flynn opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. He looked into the night to find his words. "You're right."

Stiv patted his shoulder. "Come on." Stiv gestured with his head. "Let's get you home."

The two men continued down the street. Flynn glanced behind himself once, knowing he was missing something, but unsure what.

Stiv watched his child for a moment and glanced back curiously. "What are you doing?"

"I thought… Nothing. I must be more tired than I thought. I'm seeing a ghost." Garcia shook himself.

Stiv decided to distract his young friend and tossed his arm around his shoulder. "Do you remember when we first arrived here?"

Garcia smiled, "Nothing but roaring fields and trees for miles. The flowers were very beautiful."

"And then YOU decided that this would be a perfect place to have a home. Forced me and Karl to help you build it, remember?"

Garcia rolled his eyes. "I never asked for your help. You and Karl just assigned yourselves to help."

Stiv simply ignored him, "And THEN you had the audacity to get married ten years later and moved your family in. Uprooted your first family for the new ones."

Garcia laughed and shook his head."Of course that's how you remember it."

Stiv clapped him on the back and dropped his arm. "Does your new human like it here?"

"We've only been here a few hours. She might. But we aren't exactly here on vacation, are we?" Garcia sighed and rubbed his face.

"We'll get through this."

Garcia gave a terse smile. Stiv can be unpleasant and, a lot of the time, downright overbearing, but he knew he could count on his sire, especially when it came to Iris' welfare.

He kept his gaze forward as they lazily strolled their way back to their manor, ticking away at the checklist in his head. The wards were up, the pack here apprised of the Rittenhouse situation...

His thoughts drift back to his lovers, idly wondering what they were doing. He couldn't help the small smile on his face. He just hoped they weren't having too much fun without him.

"I am exhausted," Lucy breathed heavily.

"I'm a little winded myself," Lorena collapsed into a chair. "And I don't even have to breathe."

"Should have waited for Flynn." Lucy gestured to all the boxes of historical documents they had hauled from the manor. Somewhere in there might be the answer to figuring out what exactly RH was up to, what Nicholas wanted, and how to stop them. "Could have made him do the heavy lifting."

Lorena chuckled. "He'll feel guilty about it and make up for it later."

"Oh will he?" Lucy raised a brow. "Telling me all his secrets?"

"You would have figured it out soon enough." Lorena winked.

That was probably true, and it both excited and frightened Lucy. Just because she made her decision to trust them, and be with them, didn't take away the usual anxiety of a new relationship. This one times two.

"Well," Lucy caught her breath, gesturing to the organized boxes. "Where do we start?"

Lorena opened her mouth, then paused. She got that look in her eye meaning she was sensing or hearing something outside of Lucy's human ability.

"What is it?"

"Stiv."

Lucy perked up a little at the name. On the train ride over Flynn, Lorena, and Jiya had informed her and Rufus of their connection to the older vampire. Lucy was pretty sure that their Stiv and the notorious Jure Grando Alilovic were one & the same. But she couldn't be sure. She only had sketches and a poorly detailed description to go off of. Not to mention the fact that they lived in the famed vampires’ manor. She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a tug on her hand.

"He's supposed to be watching over Iris. You should meet him before I start yelling at him." Lorena smirked down at her.

Lucy nodded along and allowed Lorena to pull her up and down into the kitchen.

Flynn stood leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. A smile crossed his face when he looked up and spotted his two lovers. "I would have gone up, but we have company." He nodded towards the open refrigerator.

Stiv's head popped up from behind the door, a bottle of blood in his hand. "Lorena, dear. Always a pleasure to see you." He smiled widely at her before his gaze fixated on the smaller woman behind her. "You must be Lucy." He tossed the bottle behind him, positive that Flynn would catch it.

An annoyed Flynn placed the bottle on the counter and rolled his eyes, "Be nice."

Stiv closed the refrigerator and walked closer to the two women, his eyes never leaving Lucy's. "She is very beautiful. I can see why you've invited her into bed. A pity they've claimed you first." He then winked at her.

Lucy blushed at the intense stare and didn't know how to act regarding the wink, but she noticed Flynn and Lorena tense up as he continued to focus on her.

"Stiv." Lorena said, a glare on her face. "You can't have her."

Stiv glanced at Lorena. "The two of you wouldn't be able to stop me if I desired her." He looked back at Lucy and his eyes flashed amber.

Lucy just raised a brow at that, not knowing what was going on or if she should trust this vampire or not.

Stic frowned and looked from Lorena to Flynn. "You didn't mention that she couldn't be charmed. How fascinating." He looked back at Lucy, a sudden uneasiness in his actions as he reached a hand out towards her. "I'm Stiv, by the way."

Lucy felt all three vampires eyes on her as she reached out and shook the much older vampire’s hand. Her interest peaked by his words. "I can't be charmed?"

"We never tried..." Flynn said curiously as he stared at Lucy, not sure what to do with this new information.

Lorena was the first to shake herself out of the curiosity bubble and gently pushed Stiv back a couple of feet. "Will you behave now?"

Her glare was back and Stiv felt a little off kilter at the moment, so he didn't register it. "I'm always on my best behavior around you Lorena."

"Why aren't you in Rome?" Lorena crossed her arms.

Stiv raised a brow, "Really? Your companion can't be charmed and you want to know why I'm not off in Italy?"

"Iris." She glared harder at him.

"Is as stubborn and hard headed as you & Garcia. She kicked me out. I cashed in a couple of favors. She's being looked after."

Garcia laid a hand between Lorena's shoulder blades but didn't say a word. He had the same fears as his wife when it came to their daughter, but he also wanted to trust Stiv's words.

Lorena relaxed, but only just. "Fine."

While the vampires were having a conversation, Lucy was still stuck on the thought that the Flynns never tried to hypnotize her. She sat off to the side puzzling over whether Garcia Flynn had a reason to lie to her about it, and couldn't find any. All the same, it warmed her heart to know that the couple never thought of toying with her from the very start.

She roused herself from her musings and tuned back in to the trio's conversation.

"We appreciate you being here, of course," Lorena was saying, "but I have to ask, Stiv: what really brought you here?"

Stiv smiled at Lorena. She was always able to look past his bullshit. "My dear, the last time I left you lot alone, you died. I won't be making that mistake again. Jiya is very important to me and your new human is important to you, yes?"

"Yes." Both Lorena and Flynn didn't even hesitate with their answer.

Lucy smiled shyly at their quick answer and Stiv eyed her a bit, but said nothing.

"Humans. Plural." Flynn said, almost as an afterthought.

"You have another?" Stiv asked with a smirk.

"Not us. Jiya." Lorena answered, her hand sneaking into Lucy's.

"Excuse me?" Stiv folded his arms and gave the two vampires a hard look.

"Lucy's friend, Rufus, is with us also. Jiya is quite taken with him." Flynn answered.

"A MAN IS UPSTAIRS WITH JIYA!?!" Stiv practically screamed, ready to rush to her bedroom, but Flynn reached out and held his arm.

"Calm down. He's injured. And if anyone is gonna do something untoward… it's gonna be Jiya."

Stiv huffed, but stayed where he was, annoyed that some unworthy human was so close to Jiya's bedroom.

"You can meet Rufus in the morning. Jiya will be happy to see you."

"She better," Stiv grumbled, then went on to mumble about 'Jiya is too young', and 'what does she know about these humans?'

Lorena chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm sure you're still her favorite."

"For now," Stiv griped, arms still crossed and looking petulant.

"How well do you know Jiya?" Lucy ventured to ask. She was getting the impression that this was another vampire that would gladly murder Rufus if he so much as breathed wrong Jiya's way.

"How well do you know Jiya?" he countered, a slight smirk on his lips. "Better yet, just how well do you know your new paramours?"

"Really, Stiv?" Lorena said with flat annoyance. "This is why you've never had a long term relationship. Never could grasp the concept that people are together because they actually like each other, and want to be together, and aren't just playthings to be bartered."

Stiv's eyes flashed and he was about to flash his fangs at her. She gave a look that dared him.

"Both of you," Flynn said loudly and firmly. "There is a monster on the loose in France and a cult is trying to kill us, again. Can we please save the fight for them?"

"Monster in France?" Lorena looked at him, Stiv forgotten.

"Why don't we sit down, get some food, and Stiv will tell us all about it." Flynn glared at him. "Won't you."

Stiv sat down on the closet chair and folded his hands over the table. "No. I won't."

"Stiv—"

"Lorena, it is not our problem. I have no desire to involve myself or any of you, for that matter, with monster hunting." Stiv cut her off and glared right back at her.

Flynn rolled his eyes and raised his voice. "Stop acting like a child. Iris could be in danger!"

Stiv's eyes flashed yellow in anger, his was soft, but held a dangerous tone to it. "Do you think I would have left Iris there if I thought she was in danger? Do you think I would allow ANYthing to happen to her?"

Flynn stood up straighter at his words, he knew he hit a nerve. "Stiv, I didn't mean to imply—"

"Shut up!" Stiv commanded and Flynn quickly shut his mouth. Stiv then looked towards Lorena, "This creature… is old. And hungry. It has a hunting ground. Iris is not in danger. My contacts will inform me the second it shows any signs of moving towards Italy. Trust me."

Lorena had taken a half step in front of Lucy as soon as Stiv commanded Flynn, not sure what he was going to do. While Stiv could come off as a bit of an asshole, he was very old and very powerful. Lorena knew his anger came from her husband's implications, but she didn't want to anger him further.

"I trust you, Stiv."

"Good." He looked behind her to a worried Lucy, "Forgive me for my anger. My children bring out the worst in me."

Lucy simply nodded before a thought struck her. "H-how many children do you have?"

Stiv raised a brow at the question. "Living? Or vampire?"

"You decide." Lucy replied and Stiv chuckled.

"That I care about? Flynn, Lorena, and Karl. I don't remember anyone from my former life." He said and shot a look towards Flynn.

Flynn still kept his mouth shut. Stiv clearly didn't want to share anything with Lucy. Which was fine with him. Lucy would actually enjoy Stiv's commentary on various historical figures and he wanted Stiv to keep his hands off of her.

"It sounds like you've lived a long time," Lucy mused.

Stiv's lips quirked up briefly. "You can say that." He considered her for a few seconds. "You have many questions for me."

Flynn mentally sighed. _Here we go..._

"I do," Lucy replied, straightening. "Where you came from, how you came to be, who you've met in your lifetime..."

Stiv leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand. "My. Aren't you a curious creature?"

Lucy raised a brow. "Fl-Garcia didn't tell you about me?"

"Only what he wanted me to know, which isn't much."

Both looked at Flynn, annoyance and genuine curiosity etched on each of their faces.

Flynn let out a sigh. "My sire may be old, but he's yet to learn the concept of boundaries." He shot a look back at Stiv.

Stiv merely gave him an innocent look back. "I haven't the slightest idea of what he speaks of." He says to Lucy with a wink. Lucy smiles at the charming vampire.

Flynn looks towards his wife, who looks as annoyed as he feels. "I refuse to let you charm your way into her good graces."

"You never want to share." Stiv smirked at his child.

"Last time we shared, you ran off with our lover, didn't return for a whole year, and then gave him back after he had fallen in love with you." Lorena reminded him.

Stiv rolled his eyes. "Humans and their emotions. But I doubt this one would be so easily swayed." He propped his head up on his hand and smiled adorably at Lucy.

Lorena and Flynn rolled their eyes as Lucy, once again, laughed at Stiv's antics.

"I'm not helping him once Rittenhouse finds us." Flynn muttered.

Stiv glanced over at him and winks.

Lucy had heard him as well and gave him a look, "Oh, don't be that way. Besides, I doubt my mother or Uncle Nicholas would find us here. We left in a hurry."

Stiv's smile immediately dropped from his face and he slowly turned back to Lucy. "Your what?"

"Well, he's not really my uncle," Lucy explained. "That's just what I was told... to... call... him." She noticed the sudden looks of panic on the Flynns’ faces, Lorena gripping her hand tight. "What's wrong?"

Within milliseconds, Lucy found herself pressed up against the wall. Stiv had his hand around her neck, Lorena clawing at it which kept the pressure off, but it was still frightening tight. The man was... sniffing at her, even as Flynn wrapped his arm around his neck in an attempt to pull him off.

"She's one of them!" Stiv growled.

"We know."

Stiv looked over his shoulder at Flynn, both men's eyes flashing amber. "And you allowed her into your home? Into your bed? After what they did?"

"We're well aware of what Rittenhouse did to us!" Lorena said through gritted teeth as she peeled his fingers from Lucy's throat and she nearly collapsed onto the floor.

"She's not like them." Flynn still had the man in a headlock, though it was questionable how effective it was.

"You two are far too human." Stiv flexed and pushed them off, though made no move towards Lucy.

"You were human once," Lucy said quietly.

Stiv looked at her, a sneer on his face. "And I thank the Gods every day that I'm not anymore."

Flynn got up from the floor and attempted to place his sire in another headlock, but Stiv was quicker and pressed him against the opposite wall.

"You always wonder why your family is in danger. It's because of you and your stupidity. Your unnecessary attachment to humans." Stiv growled at him.

While Flynn didn't need to breathe, the tight grip was getting remarkably close to taking his head off. Fear started to take hold of him, something he hadn't felt towards Stiv in a very long time.

Lorena was standing in front of Lucy, protecting her, but the tighter Stiv's grip got around her husband’s neck the more tense she became. "Stiv! Let him go!"

"You think either of you are strong enough to fight me?"

Suddenly a shockwave went through the kitchen, effectively slamming all the vampires against a wall and then on their ass. Lucy was the only one not affected.

"What the hell is going on in here!?" Jiya demanded from the entryway. She was dressed in smurf pajamas.

Stiv was quick to recover his senses, used to that particular spell. He had bedded many witches in his long life. Flynn and Lorena were still disoriented. He took that moment to grab Lucy and run out of the house.

Lucy felt the sudden rush of air, wind in her ears, and a tight grip around her neck. In the blink of an eye she had gone from inside the house to on top of it. Stiv held her over the edge of the roof.

"I do not trust you." Stiv growled, eyes yellow.

Lucy gripped his forearm tightly, "I'm starting to get that," she gasped out.

Stiv loosened his grip. Enough to allow her to speak freely, but not enough to let her drop. "What would a Rittenhouse be doing here? Do you have orders to kill Garcia? Or Lorena?"

"I'm NOT working with Rittenhouse. I would never hurt them, I.... care, very much for Garcia and Lorena." Lucy answered, terrified that he was going to let her fall.

"How is Nicholas still alive?"

"I don't know! I grew up believing he was my uncle. Turns out he's my great grandfather. Nothing makes sense anymore!"

Stiv eyed her critically. He brought her closer to his face and let his nose linger against her neck for a moment. "You smell like them." He took a deep breath, committing her scent to memory. "They've been hurt by humans before. Especially by Rittenhouse. Should anything happen to them..."

He released her.

Lucy's stomach dropped as she fell. Her first thought was of Amy. How she'd never be able to find out what happened to her. Then she thought about how she never told the Flynns how she felt. She was pretty sure she loved them.

Lucy felt a sudden jolt and her stomach did a somersault. She was no longer falling, but floating down. Like a feather.

She felt arms around her a moment later. Flynn held her against his chest, but he was glaring up at his sire. Behind him, Lorena held a barely conscious Jiya.

"She's a lot heavier than a book." Jiya muttered before she went limp in Lorena's arms.

Stiv felt certain this girl was their downfall.

"You truly want to walk down this path with her?" Stiv asked as he looked down on the group. His darling Jiya exhausted from over-extending her powers for this woman.

"Yes," Garcia said clearly, a touch of rage in his eyes.

Oh dear, he remembered that look. But at least Lorena wasn't a member of the enemy.

"Then it's on your head," Stiv said before jumping off the roof to land in front of them. He smiled. "What's for dinner?"

Flynn growled at him, but Stiv ignored him. He then walked up to Lorena and put his arms out for Jiya. He wasn't asking. Lorena reluctantly handed over the young witch.

"She doesn't normally tire this easily."

Lorena softened only a fraction. "Rufus was injured back at the manor. She's been healing him."

Stiv tossed a glare over his shoulder at Lucy. "Convenient of Rittenhouse to keep our witch preoccupied."

"Stiv—"

"I've changed my mind. We should all get some sleep. Who knows what tomorrow will throw our way."

With that, he was gone.

Lorena went over to Lucy, who had not moved within Garcia's embrace.

"It's okay, my dear," she murmured, a hand on Lucy's shoulder and the other on her husband's arm. "He's gone now."

Garcia looked down as Lucy turned slowly. He tensed then looked to his wife. Lorena glanced at their lover again, and rage at Stiv returned.

"Oh, Lucy..."

The handiwork of Garcia's sire marred the delicate skin on her neck.

"He shouldn't be here." Flynn said in a low, dangerous tone.

"Are you going to force him out?" Lorena snapped at him. She sighed when both he and Lucy flinched, "Forgive me." Her hands gently caressed Lucy's bruised neck. "I don't like that he had his hands on you."

"It's understandable. His anger. Neither of you had gotten upset with me when you found out I was part of Rittenhouse." Lucy said, her voice low.

"We had no reason to. You're a good person." Flynn was quick to assure her.

"I could say the same about Nicholas. At least before I found out he was actually my great grandfather. Wouldn't you say the same?" Lucy asked.

Lorena and Flynn looked at each other. They both had memories of Nicholas being a gentleman and an all around good human being. But after finding out that he was responsible for the attack that took Lorena's life, those memories are tainted with this, 'Was it all an act?' feeling.

"I never knew he could be so cruel. Or vindictive." Flynn was hurt. He had trusted Nicholas with many things, including his family.

"He hurt you. Stiv has a right to be upset."

"But he has no right taking it out on you," Flynn countered, gently running the backs of his fingers along Lucy's cheek, even as he surreptitiously examined her for other injuries. Anything to distract himself from the thought that his own father figure came so close to snuff out Lucy's life.

"I should have anticipated this," he went on, looking anywhere but at the women before him. "I should have warned you about Stiv beforehand."

Lucy was already shaking her head. "You couldn't have. Not after the attack, and having to look after us..."

"He's right," Lorena chimed in softly, head bowed. "We should have seen this coming."

"No point in arguing about it now." Lucy stated and gave her lovers a moment to dismiss whatever arguments they had at the ready. "Um...are you going to put me down?"

"No." Flynn emphasized his point by pulling her more into his chest.

Lorena pressed herself against Lucy's side and placed her hands around her husband’s. "I doubt we'll be letting you out of our sight as long as Stiv stays with us."

Lucy certainly wasn't going to complain about her current predicament. But she also wasn't a child. "I can walk all on my own."

"Do you want me to let you go?" Flynn asked. He leaned forward and leaned his head against Lorena's.

Both looked down at Lucy, cradled in their arms.

"I want you to put me on my feet." Flynn and Lorena chuckled, but Flynn did as he was told. "Good. Now let's go to bed. I doubt tomorrow will be any more fun."

Flynn couldn't help the grin from spreading. Despite the ominous words, he loved this determined, confident side of Lucy. He loved this about their little spitfire: a burning beacon of hope for two dark souls to find their way home.

He knew Lorena was just as done for, if her staring at Lucy with tender eyes was any indication.

"It's a little early for sleep," Flynn playfully complained, letting Lucy step out of his arms.

Lucy was about to walk towards the house when she paused at Flynn's words. She looked over her shoulder, a beatific little grin playing on her face.

"I didn't say anything about sleep. Did I?"

They were quiet as they entered the bedroom, Flynn closing the door behind them. Lucy gently touched her neck where Stiv had grabbed her. She was incensed that the man would do that and then go sleep peacefully on the other end of the manor house.

But then… she was Rittenhouse… whether she liked it or not. It was in her blood.

“I’m so sorry, Lucy,” Flynn said, gingerly reaching for her and stopping short. “Our relationship with Stiv is… complicated.”

“He’s your sire,” she said to let him know she understood. Sires were like parents, or least Stiv seemed to look at his ‘children’ in such a manner. And parents… can be annoyed, while also being unable to do anything about said annoyance. “Just… how good is your hearing?”

“Um.” Flynn frowned at the non-sequitur. “It’s quite good, but we can filter out most noise, so it doesn’t become overbearing, while also being sensitive to things that are important to us.”

“Like your child?” she asked.

“Yes,” Lorena answered, frowning as well. “If Iris so much as coughed on the other side of the manor, we’d hear it.”

Lucy thought this over, it was what she expected. “Well then, if your sire thinks I’m no good for his children, then I want him to hear just how wrong he is.”

“Lucy,” Flynn spoke her name somewhat warily, but Lorena’s grin was absolutely feral. Of course Flynn would be more reluctant; Stiv was his direct sire, not Lorena’s.

Making her decision, Lucy grabbed Flynn and pulled him into a deep, searing kiss. She wouldn’t force him, but she had to show him that she wasn’t afraid. Not of who they are, or what they are.

Flynn easily melted into the kiss, hauling her body against his. He grabbed her ass with one hand, her right thigh with the other, and hitched her up to wrap her legs around him. She could feel the tension and anger in his body. He wanted to get back at his sire as well. It was a complicated situation that Lucy made much less complicated for him.

Lorena pressed herself up against Lucy’s back, burying her head in her neck and nibbling as her hands roamed freely down Lucy’s sides and up under her top. She managed to get her hands on Lucy’s breasts and fondled her firmly.

“I want to hear both of you,” Lucy said as Flynn kissed down the other side of her neck. 

The two vampires looked at each other and nodded. Flynn let her down and then there was a flurry of clothes being removed. Hands were everywhere, to the point that Lucy wasn’t sure who was undressing who. Her panties fell around her ankles and her skin rippled with goosebumps from the bodies pressed against her.

Lucy turned around so she could kiss Lorena, her hands roaming up to catch her breasts. Kissing down her jaw, Lorena moaned, her own hands grabbing Lucy’s ass.

“Bed,” Lucy managed to say, and within seconds, Lucy was flat on her back. Lorena was atop of her, scraping her teeth lightly against Lucy’s neck as she moved down her body.

As much as she knew she would immensely enjoy what was to happen next, that wasn’t the plan. 

Realistically speaking, Lucy would not be able to match either vampire’s strength. But when they were with her, all it took was a little push or tug and they supplicated to her desires. It was an intoxicating feeling. Lucy always needed to be in control, of everything. It’s how she felt safe.

In their arms, she always felt safe. She was a scared fool to have thought otherwise.

Lucy rolled Lorena onto her back and straddled her. 

“Like I said,” Lucy began to massage Lorena’s breasts, leaning down close, “I want to hear you both tonight.”

Lorena let out a shout of pleasure as Lucy began to suck on one of Lorena’s nipples, pinching and rolling the other between her fingers. Lorena ran her hands down Lucy’s body, snaking between them to find Lucy already wet and needy. Lucy groaned as she bit and soothed Lorena’s sensitive skin.

Flynn’s weight lightly settled over Lucy, the man nuzzling at her neck as he reached around and fondled her breasts. 

“Do you know how you look,” he said gravelly into her ear and it made her shiver.

“Just wait.” Lucy grinned, then pushed back just enough for him to get the hint to sit up. 

Lucy kissed her way down between Lorena’s breasts. Lapping at her skin, making her breath hitch. Lucy placed a reverent kiss on the scar of the wound that killed Lorena, turned her, allowed her to be there, with them, in that moment.

“You are so wet.” Lucy teased Lorena’s entrance.

“You’re one to talk.” Flynn was in her ear again, one arm around her waist, his hand dipping down below.

Lucy leaned her head back against his shoulder so she could look at him. “I need you in me.”

Flynn nodded his understanding, his face nothing but a smug grin. He moved away, to grab the condoms, a bit of a safety blanket that Lucy still needed, for the time being. One that her lovers didn’t question.

With the few seconds she had, Lucy positioned herself between Lorena’s legs as the woman grabbed another pillow to prop herself up for a better view. Lucy bent down and nuzzled at the crook of her hip. Lorena’s breath hitched again. 

Strong hands gently pulled at Lucy’s hips, getting her into position to be ridden. 

“Such a pleasurable sight to see,” Lorena said, licking her lips.

With a wicked grin, Lucy dipped down and flicked her tongue at Lorena’s entrance, the woman mewling. She ran one finger down, through the wetness, to open her up just enough to tease her. 

“Lucy,” Lorena was already moaning her name in anticipation.

As Lucy searched out Lorena’s clit, Flynn dipped two fingers into Lucy, making sure she was ready for him. Lucy bucked her hips, begging him to dig in. He got the hint, slowly pushing his cock into her, filling her up.

“Oh, Lucy,” he moaned as he settled deep inside. 

She really did love the way her name sounded on their lips in the throes of pleasure.

Flynn started with a slow, gentle roll of his hips. He felt so good inside, she moaned against Lorena’s entrance, the vibrations making the woman squirm slightly in anticipation.

A smug grin on her face, Lucy began her attack with renewed fervor. She slipped one finger inside as her tongue searched out Lorena’s clit. Lorena didn’t hold back, a shout followed by a symphony of moans and groans. 

Behind her, Flynn was grunting with every push. He began to snap his hips harder against her, going deeper. But there was still a gentleness there, a sense that no matter how rough the sex got, he would never hurt her. It was a dichotomy that lit a fire in her belly which urged her that much closer to her own orgasm.

Lucy slipped another finger into Lorena, stretching her out as her tongue sharpened against her, then sucked and soothed. Lorena’s hand ran through Lucy’s hair, she could only imagine the view Flynn had of Lucy eating Lorena out. By the sounds both of them were making, the constant uttering of her name, the view must be spectacular.

Lorena was getting close. Lucy slipped in a third finger, pumping in and out, keeping rhythm with Flynn’s thrusts.

“Luuuuucy,” Lorena yelled as her body tightened, her hand gripping Lucy’s hair tight. 

Not letting up even an inch, Lucy sucked down harder. Seconds later, she was lapping up as Lorena trembled from her orgasm. The vampire was moaning incoherently as Lucy gently helped her down from her high. She pulled her fingers out slowly, and looked up, taking pleasure in Lorena’s blissed out face.

“Luu-ucy,” Flynn stuttered out her name, he was so close now, she could feel the tension in his body, the slight erratic rhythm.

Strong hands ran up her sides, palmed her breasts, and then hauled her up. Now pressed against his back, his thrusts into her were quicker, not quite driving in and out. But he was deeper, she felt fuller. One of his hands came up to her neck to tip her head back while the other went right between her legs.

Her shout of pleasure was swallowed by him kissing her, tasting Lorena on her lips. 

Flynn attacked her relentlessly, needing her to come so he could, a fact that she would never not find hot. He bit at her neck as he pleasured her with strong, deft fingers. Her eyes met Lorena’s, the woman watching them, biting her lip, looking as if she’d come again just watching them.

“Lucy,” he said gravelly into her ear. 

The stimulation became too much, the coil inside her unfurled and she came, shouting at a high pitch. Flynn grunted deeply as he finally let himself go. He pushed her down deep onto him and came, both bodies trembling.

“Fuck,” Lorena was breathless, “that is so hot.”

Flynn chuckled, planting soft, tender kisses, anywhere he could. 

After coming down from the high, Flynn relinquished Lucy into Lorena’s arms. The women laid down together, gently touching each other’s bodies as Flynn cleaned himself up, trashing the condom. An idle thought came to her, wondering if she really still needed a safety blanket with them anymore. 

They wouldn’t hurt her, they wouldn’t lie to her. 

Flynn returned and Lucy found herself snuggled up between the two vampires. 

Lorena chuckled. “What I would give to see the look on Stiv’s face.”

“And we’re not done yet,” Lucy promised. “This is just the appetizer.”

“You are a wicked woman,” Flynn said fondly as he nuzzled her.

Lucy laughed, loving the way these two made her feel. 

“Oh, crap,” Lucy suddenly realized something. “I forgot about Jiya and Rufus. Do you think they heard us too?”

“No,” Lorena assured her, kissing softly down towards Lucy’s breasts.

“Jiya used a soundproofing spell on her room ages ago,” Flynn explained, one hand drifting down Lucy’s side, caressing at her hip.

Lucy grinned wickedly. “Then let’s just see how loud we can get.” 

Lorena was first to stir. She looked over to her husband and their lover, the latter huddled in between them. Both were still sleeping peacefully.

She was content to watch them quietly, savoring this little pocket of peace before tackling the chaos of the day.

Lucy shivered with a little moan, the sound of which went straight to Lorena's nether regions. She tamped down the impulse to rouse her with her tongue and fingers, though, and opted to pull the blanket over Lucy's chest instead. She let her hand rest there, to feel the heartbeat thrum under her palm. Slow, relaxed beats.

Lorena smiled, snuggling deeper under the covers and laid her head back on Garcia's outstretched arm. As she did so, she felt his fingers play with her hair. She kissed his forearm before finally settling down. Lulled by the gentle rhythm of Lucy's heart, she went back to sleep.

Sometime later found Lucy in the shower. Alone. Lorena had insisted that she and Flynn take Stiv shopping for essentials with them. They hadn't wanted to leave him alone with her or Rufus.

They hadn't taken that long, explaining that they go early enough to speed through it and only having to glamor a small handful of people if necessary.

Currently all three vampires were downstairs making breakfast. Well the Flynns were, Stiv was reading a newspaper.

Lucy stared at her reflection and winced at the bruises around her neck. A perfect hand print. She had hoped her first meeting with Stiv would have gone without a hitch. She was naive to think that. She mentally berated herself for even mentioning Rittenhouse last night.

She heard a knock on the door and quickly threw on her clothes before she peeked through the bathroom door. It was Rufus.

"Jiya told me what happened last night. Are you OK?" He asked, worry etched on his face.

Lucy smiled gently at him and opened the door wider. She had only tossed on her shirt and underwear. "I'll be fine."

Rufus walked into the bathroom and sat on the tub. "Those bruises don't look fine."

"Jiya can help with that. She fixed you up," she said, indicating the fact that he was actually walking. "You're all better?"

Rufus rolled his shoulder. "Sore. But I'm all good..." He leaned forward and closed the door. "I'm working on a weapon. To help us fight vampires." He said, whispering. "I can use it on the dick downstairs."

Lucy laughed at that, "As angry as they, I don't think Lorena, Garcia, or Jiya would appreciate that. They love him."

Rufus rolled his eyes, "Fine. I'll hate him for all of us, then."

She simply smiled at him. She could always count on Rufus to be in her corner.

"Do either of the Flynns know exactly what you're planning?"

Rufus shushed her, gesturing to lower her voice. Right. People with supernatural hearing.

He opened his mouth, grimaced, and made more vague gestures with his hands.

"So, it's a no."

"I'm working my way up to it, okay? The Flynns saved me, protected you; I know that. But they won't hold it against me if I just wanna have means to protect us humans. Right?"

Lucy didn't answer, silently putting on her leggings. She'd be a hypocrite to call out Rufus when she was still holding onto the pills Wyatt gave her. She briefly entertained the notion of telling Rufus about it, but it meant breaking Wyatt's trust.

Not that that held much value to her, not anymore. It was the principle of the thing. And she didn't want to get involved in another drama with Wyatt Fucking Logan, thank you very much.

It was her eleventh hour contingency in case things go sideways. She had a sinking thought that it would.

"As long as you're using it against Rittenhouse, I... suppose it's okay?" Lucy spoke at last.

Rufus nodded. "Just... don't say anything yet, yeah?"

"Of course."

Rufus smiled at her and stood to hug her once she finished dressing.

Suddenly the door opened and Jiya stood there eyeing the two of them. "Party in the bathroom?"

Rufus opened his mouth to say something clever, but slipped on a wet patch and let out a high pitched squeal as he tumbled down, taking Lucy with him when she reached out to help him. Rufus landed on his back with Lucy on top of him, both of them groaning in pain.

Jiya watched the whole thing and just burst out laughing. She was bent over, clutching her stomach, she was laughing so hard. "Oh my God!" She managed to squeeze out before she lost control to the giggles once more.

"Laugh it up, chuckle head," Rufus groaned as Lucy rolled off of him.

Lucy stood and bent to help Rufus up. "I thought I was the clumsy one?"

"You went down too!" Rufus defended himself.

While the human inhabitants joked and laughed above, the vampires puttered in the kitchen in mostly frosty silence. That is, Garcia and Lorena milled around the kitchen, talking quietly between themselves only when needed, as Stiv perused the newspaper.

Paper rustled as Stiv flipped the broadsheet to another page. "I don't understand how you two still indulge in this paltry human practice."

Silence. Glass tinkled as Lorena stirred honey into a pitcher of lemonade.

"Surely your guests can serve themselves?"

The pan sizzled loudly as Garcia threw in the eggs in hot oil, stirring with more force than was warranted.

"Children, the two of you."

The couple went on with their chores. Lorena started setting the table, but kept away from where Stiv sat.

He scoffed. "This isn't going to work," he warned. "You both know that. I'm not going anywhere."

He got twin looks of annoyance from the Flynn's. Lorena slammed a glass of blood down in front of him. The blood sloshed a little out of it and Stiv lazily wiped it, ignoring the aggressiveness.

"Thank you, dear." He flipped over to the obituaries and quickly scanned them for anyone he might know. "Andrew Wallace died. Iris went to school with him. I'll text her. She'll want to send flowers."

Lorena and Flynn looked at each other. Stiv could be a downright jackass at times, but he loved their daughter like she was his.

"... You want a steak?"

Lorena gave Garcia a dirty look. so much for a united front.

"That would be nice," Stiv acknowledged with a smile. "I knew you couldn't stay mad at me, my boy."

The egg cracked in Garcia's sudden grip, yolk, egg white and shell trickling into the skillet. All tentative feelings of generosity fizzled out.

"My, my! Aren't we testy?" Stiv laughed. "I thought your little human shouldn't get you this wound up?"

"Oh, please, Stiv. This was all you."

"Pardon?"

"You could've talked to us first! But, no. You just had to attack Lucy..."

"She is Rittenhouse!"

"You're wrong!"

"Garcia."

Lorena didn't yell, but it was enough to get the men's attention.

"We can... grab breakfast at the local waffle house," Jiya proposed, looking between Stiv and Garcia.

Stiv quickly stood up. "Nonsense, my dear! Lorena and Garcia have prepared a lovely meal for all of you!"

The Flynns gave him a dirty look before Garcia turned to Lucy.

"It's alright if you'd rather eat out," Garcia said. "We won't mind. Besides, I think you'd all benefit from the more pleasant ambiance there." He side-eyed Stiv when he snorted. "Plus, I heard they serve the best spotted dick in town."

Rufus's eyes bugged out and he looked to Lucy for guidance on how to respond to… that.

"It's food."

"Ah… okay." Rufus responded and turned to look back at the vampires. He was surprised, and a little frightened, to see Stiv eyeing him so critically.

"This is your… friend, Jiya?" Stiv asked.

Jiya rolled her eyes. "Don't be rude. His name is Rufus."

Stiv eyed the darker man for a few more beats before turning to Lucy. "I do not trust you. But I will be civil... I detest upsetting Jiya."

Lucy raised a brow as the Flynns scoffed. "Was that an apology?"

"No. And do not hold your breath for one." Stiv lightly glared at her.

"If you hadn't attacked me, I might actually like your brutal honesty."

Stiv cut his eyes over to Flynn, who looked as surprised as he felt. "Right… breakfast?" He was… just a little thrown by her words.

As Stiv resettled himself at one end of the table, Jiya took Rufus' hand and led him to the other end, sitting him at Garcia's left. Instead of taking her usual place at Garcia's right, Lorena sat Lucy there, then Lorena right next to her. Stiv raised a brow. The urge to point out that he won't bite was at the tip of his tongue, but he kept silent instead.

"So." Stiv raised his drink, studying the deep crimson liquid. "What are the plans for today?"

"There will be no talk of strategy while we eat," Lorena cut in smoothly, her attention on the rare steak before her. "There will be time for that, later."

Garcia stared at his wife with open admiration and pride. And Stiv was inclined to agree. If it were any other creature, he would have torn their insolent head from their neck.

Lorena has time and again proven to be a formidable equal to Garcia: equal in intellect, a calming influence to his and Garcia's fiery impulses, and a compassionate (albeit dead) heart big enough to take even an old coot like him in.

But their new plaything— _paramour_. Stiv couldn't help but be fascinated with a mortal that captured both his children's affections. He knew them enough to realize that this woman was no passing shiny thing for them. Which makes her more dangerous.

Stiv mentally sighed. Lucy Preston will be the death of them all. And he will not stand for it.

"I was merely asking about the days plans." Stiv said with a barely there smirk towards Lorena. He then turned to Rufus, "I can easily ask Jiya's new friend some questions."

Rufus paled at that and looked at Flynn. "... Help?"

Flynn hid a smirk by looking down at his plate. He glanced at Lorena, who did not look amused, and quickly looked back down. Was it his fault that he had grown used to, and enjoyed, his sire's humor?

"We have nothing planned. Did you want to do something? A picnic, perhaps?" Lucy chimed in.

Stiv's lips twitched in amusement, but he forced it away. Not wanting to fall for this, admittedly, charming woman the way his children had.

"A picnic sounds nice." Jiya answered before Stiv had a chance to. "We could have one on the hill. You can see it from the garden."

Rufus nodded along with the idea. "I'm down."

Lunchtime came around and they packed up everything they needed for a picnic on the hill.

It felt odd, because it felt normal.

Lucy was draped across Flynn and Lorena as they sat under a large umbrella. Rufus had his head in Jiya's lap, the woman running her hands through his hair. Stiv was keeping a very close eye on them, wary of these new relationships.

It was a lovely day, no imminent threat of Rittenhouse to sully the mood. They were all content, and happy.

A shadow watched them from a distance. Soon enough it would make itself known.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Translations:**  
>  _draga_ \- dear, darling  
>  _kafić_ \- coffee shop  
>  _deda_ \- grandfather  
>  _tata_ \- father  
>  _baka_ \- grandmother  
>  _U redu je, baka_ \- It's okay, grandma


End file.
